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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 116 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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. tube — a container
  3. cell — in biology
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. tube — the underground
  9. cell — a phone
  10. land — to come down
  11. rock — music
  12. mug — a face
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mug — a cup
  18. land — ground
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rush — hurry
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. cell — in a prison

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