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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lean — thin
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. club — for dancing
  13. land — a country
  14. club — for golf
  15. bass — low music
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bass — the fish
  18. staff — employees
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. club — a group
  21. land — to come down
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. staff — a stick
  24. land — ground

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