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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wake — a trail
  6. root — of a word
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. root — the cause
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. land — a country
  13. land — to come down
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. land — ground
  18. lie — to recline
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wound — an injury
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. tube — a container
  23. root — of a plant
  24. bowl — a dish

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