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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 124 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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wake — a trail
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. land — to come down
  12. present — there
  13. can — to be able to
  14. land — a country
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. present — the time now
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. present — a gift
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. ruler — a monarch

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