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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. saw — the tool
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. land — to come down
  9. saw — the tool
  10. branch — a division
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. shower — rain
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. land — ground
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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