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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. plane — a tool
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. mark — a grade
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — ground
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. mark — a trace
  24. hide — to keep secret

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