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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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. craft — a handicraft
  4. tube — the underground
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. fine — all right
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — an aim
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. craft — boats
  15. fine — high quality
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. tube — a container
  20. plane — a tool
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. land — ground
  23. object — a thing
  24. racket — for tennis

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