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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 116 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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. land — a country
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. track — a song
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — a path
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. land — to come down
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. tube — the underground
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — goods
  14. tube — a container
  15. pop — music
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — music
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pop — to visit
  21. pop — soda
  22. stock — shares
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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