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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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 — a country
  2. club — a group
  3. rock — a stone
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. prune — to trim
  8. land — ground
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. vault — a safe
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. prune — to trim
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. club — for golf
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. land — to come down
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. club — for dancing
  23. rock — music
  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