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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. key — for a lock
  6. cap — a hat
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — for digging
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. cap — a lid
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. key — the most important part
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. cap — of ice
  22. branch — a division
  23. face — to confront
  24. branch — of a tree

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