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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. last — final
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. last — finally
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. land — ground
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. land — a country
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. last — to go on
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rock — a stone
  24. land — to come down

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