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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  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. land — ground
  2. roll — a cake
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. roll — a list
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. craft — boats
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to bend
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. land — a country
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. land — to come down
  23. dip — to sink
  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