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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: band · land · ruler · track · bowl · pass · lash · game

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. band — a ring
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — a match
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. land — ground
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. track — a song
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. game — wild animals
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. land — to come down
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. ruler — for measuring

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