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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bass — low music
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bass — the fish
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. field — for sport
  14. cap — a lid
  15. field — farmland
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mine — for digging
  24. field — a subject

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