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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. last — finally
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. last — to go on
  5. club — for dancing
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. last — final
  9. land — a country
  10. club — a group
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. fine — all right
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. deal — to handle
  16. club — for golf
  17. fine — high quality
  18. mark — a trace
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. land — to come down
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mark — a grade
  24. land — ground

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