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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. suit — clothes
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. cue — a signal
  8. land — a country
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. suit — to fit
  11. row — a line
  12. land — to come down
  13. row — to paddle
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. land — ground
  17. capital — a city
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cue — a hint
  21. capital — money
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cue — for pool
  24. trunk — of a car

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