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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. fine — high quality
  3. vault — a safe
  4. fine — all right
  5. land — a country
  6. land — to come down
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. track — a path
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. track — a song
  15. land — ground
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. toast — bread
  18. prune — to trim
  19. track — to keep track
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. foot — a measure
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. prune — to trim

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