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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. land — a country
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. land — ground
  6. tear — to rip
  7. tear — from crying
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. craft — a skill
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bat — the animal
  16. mark — a trace
  17. land — to come down
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. craft — boats
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  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