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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. mine — for digging
  3. march — the month
  4. land — ground
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. stem — to come from
  8. march — the month
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. march — music
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. land — to come down
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. land — a country
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stand — to bear

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