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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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Word bank
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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: fan · staff · cabinet · foot · ruler · land · mouse · mark

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  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. land — to come down
  2. land — a country
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. mark — a grade
  6. staff — a stick
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. staff — employees
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. foot — a measure
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mark — a trace
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. staff — employees
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. land — ground
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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