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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: ruler · deal · band · hide · mine · land · mark · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  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. pit — in a race
  2. land — a country
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. band — a ring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. band — a music group
  10. mark — a trace
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pit — a hole
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. deal — to handle
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. land — ground
  23. land — to come down
  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