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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. land — a country
  3. land — to come down
  4. tube — a container
  5. fine — high quality
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. ball — a dance
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. bass — the fish
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. toast — bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. ball — a great time
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bass — low music
  21. tube — the underground
  22. land — ground
  23. fine — all right
  24. bass — the instrument

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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