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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 116 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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. track — to keep track
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. cap — a lid
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. track — a song
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. cap — a hat
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. track — a path
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bat — for baseball

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