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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. suit — to fit
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. kid — child
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. bass — the fish
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bass — low music
  13. staff — employees
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fine — all right
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. land — to come down
  20. kid — to tease
  21. land — ground
  22. stem — to come from
  23. suit — in cards
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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