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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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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. ground — a position
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. object — an aim
  5. season — in sport
  6. bass — low music
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. object — to protest
  11. land — to come down
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. season — of the year
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bass — the fish
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. land — ground
  23. object — a thing
  24. staff — employees

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