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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ruler · date · ball · fine · wake · hide · foot · land

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. fine — high quality
  3. ball — a great time
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. land — a country
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. land — ground
  11. wake — a trail
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. date — the fruit
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. land — to come down
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fine — all right

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