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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bear — the animal
  5. kid — child
  6. field — farmland
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. field — for sport
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. land — ground
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bound — certain
  15. field — a subject
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. land — to come down
  18. bound — tied together
  19. kid — to tease
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bowl — a dish

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