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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 116 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 · land · wound · fork · hide · ruler · ball · band

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wound — an injury
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. land — to come down
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mark — a grade
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fork — in a road
  18. wound — an injury
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. ball — a dance
  21. land — ground
  22. land — a country
  23. band — a music group
  24. hide — animal skin

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