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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. perch — the fish
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. land — a country
  5. craft — a skill
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. craft — boats
  8. rule — a law
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. tube — a container
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. tube — the underground
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. rule — government
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. land — ground
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. fan — to cool the air

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