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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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468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. land — a country
  3. field — farmland
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. dip — to sink
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. key — in music
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. field — for sport
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. key — the most important part
  17. land — to come down
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. field — a subject
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. key — for a lock
  22. land — ground
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. hide — to keep secret

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