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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. lie — to recline
  3. capital — money
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. land — to come down
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — a series
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. capital — a city
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — a container
  20. land — a country
  21. mate — a friend
  22. land — ground
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — to breed

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