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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cold · fan · swing · ruler · object · fall · land · toast

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. swing — to play on
  3. fall — the season
  4. swing — in golf
  5. object — a thing
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. swing — music
  9. toast — bread
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. object — an aim
  12. land — to come down
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. object — to protest
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. land — a country
  18. land — ground
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. cold — not warm
  24. ruler — for measuring

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