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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. cue — a hint
  3. swing — music
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. dip — to sink
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. cue — for pool
  13. swing — to play on
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. cue — a signal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. land — ground
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. land — to come down
  24. dip — to dunk

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