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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. vault — a safe
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. land — to come down
  6. mine — for digging
  7. shower — rain
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. land — ground
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. land — a country
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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