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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: last · ruler · mouse · pop · land · mark · deal · bay

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. pop — soda
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. land — to come down
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pop — to visit
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pop — music
  14. last — to go on
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. land — ground
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. last — final
  19. mark — a trace
  20. last — finally
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. land — a country

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