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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. current — of water
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. current — electric
  9. bore — to drill
  10. squash — to crush
  11. squash — the sport
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. current — happening now
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. land — ground
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. land — to come down
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bore — to tire
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. bore — gave birth

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