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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. rock — a stone
  3. season — in sport
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. foot — a measure
  6. tear — from crying
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. land — ground
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. tube — the underground
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. toast — bread
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. tear — to rip
  17. tear — from crying
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. tube — a container
  20. rock — music
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. season — of the year
  24. land — to come down

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