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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: mark · racket · bowl · row · pass · ruler · sharp · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. row — to paddle
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. sharp — clever
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. row — a line
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. land — ground
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. land — to come down
  24. racket — a loud noise

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