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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: wave · game · can · staff · land · ruler · pitcher · march

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. land — ground
  3. land — to come down
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. staff — employees
  8. march — music
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. game — a match
  11. march — the month
  12. staff — employees
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. land — a country
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. game — wild animals
  20. can — a tin
  21. staff — a stick
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. march — the month
  24. can — to be able to

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