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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fine — high quality
  3. land — a country
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. face — to confront
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. face — part of the head
  12. land — to come down
  13. bore — to tire
  14. face — to point toward
  15. land — ground
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fork — in a road
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. mine — for digging

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