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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. deal — to handle
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. land — ground
  6. bass — low music
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. land — to come down
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. rock — music
  19. bass — the fish
  20. march — the month
  21. rock — a stone
  22. land — a country
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mine — belonging to me

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com