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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: bay · ruler · perch · game · date · land · suit · plane

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. suit — in cards
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. perch — the fish
  8. suit — clothes
  9. date — the fruit
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a match
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. suit — to fit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. land — to come down
  18. land — ground
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. land — a country
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. plane — an aircraft

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