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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bound — obliged
  6. staff — employees
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. staff — employees
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wind — moving air
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. land — ground
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. wind — moving air
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bound — certain
  22. bulb — for light
  23. land — to come down
  24. bound — tied together

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