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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. rule — government
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. object — a thing
  9. land — a country
  10. bass — low music
  11. spring — of water
  12. land — to come down
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. land — ground
  15. rule — a law
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bass — the fish
  18. track — a song
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. track — a path
  21. spring — a coil
  22. spring — the season
  23. deal — to handle
  24. object — to protest

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