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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 120 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. land — to come down
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. firm — steady
  11. land — ground
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. firm — a company
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. land — a country
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mine — for digging
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. firm — decided

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