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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — to come down
  3. pound — a weight
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. pass — a permit
  7. stock — goods
  8. land — ground
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — a safe
  11. stock — shares
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. plane — a tool
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — in geometry

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