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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. land — a country
  4. mug — to rob
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bound — tied together
  7. court — for sport
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. land — ground
  11. land — to come down
  12. rule — government
  13. court — of a king
  14. mug — a cup
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. court — of law
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rule — a law
  22. mug — a face
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — a skill

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