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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rest — a break
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. land — to come down
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rest — what's left
  13. object — to protest
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. object — an aim
  16. land — ground
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mug — a face
  22. object — a thing
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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