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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. wound — an injury
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. land — a country
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. land — ground
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. tube — a container
  13. bank — for money
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bank — for money
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bank — of a river
  22. wound — an injury
  23. land — to come down
  24. lie — to recline

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