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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — clever
  4. land — to come down
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. press — newspapers
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. wax — to grow
  13. chip — to eat
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. press — to push
  18. land — ground
  19. chip — for betting
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. press — a publisher

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