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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. ruler — for measuring
  2. rush — hurry
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. field — farmland
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. land — a country
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. snap — to click
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. land — to come down
  13. rest — what's left
  14. season — of the year
  15. field — a subject
  16. rest — what's left
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. rest — a break
  19. field — for sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. season — in sport
  23. stand — to bear
  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