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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. land — a country
  3. current — happening now
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. band — a music group
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. land — ground
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. band — a ring
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. chair — a leader
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. current — electric
  19. current — of water
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. land — to come down
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. coach — a trainer

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