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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. band — a music group
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. charge — a price
  9. band — a ring
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. object — to protest
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — to crush
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. object — a thing
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. charge — in control
  24. band — a rubber band

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