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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: land · fall · ruler · ball · wake · toast · jam · racket

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. fall — to drop
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. land — ground
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. toast — bread
  13. ball — a dance
  14. fall — the season
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. land — a country
  19. wake — a trail
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. fall — to drop
  22. land — to come down
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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