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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. drill — a practice
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. land — a country
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. drill — the tool
  15. bear — the animal
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. squash — the sport
  18. land — ground
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mine — for digging
  21. land — to come down
  22. drill — army training
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mine — an explosive

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