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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 120 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hand — in cards
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. land — a country
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mark — a grade
  10. land — to come down
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. land — ground
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. lie — to recline
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mate — to breed
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. hand — help
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. mate — a partner
  24. rest — a break

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