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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bank — for money
  8. land — ground
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mug — a face
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. land — to come down
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. mug — to rob
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mark — a trace
  18. bank — of a river
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mug — a cup
  22. bank — for money
  23. rest — a break
  24. plane — an aircraft

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