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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.

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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. toast — bread
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. track — to keep track
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bank — for money
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. land — to come down
  11. bank — for money
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bat — the animal
  17. track — a path
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. track — a song
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. land — ground
  23. bank — of a river
  24. toast — the most admired

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