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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. rest — a break
  4. squash — to crush
  5. mate — a friend
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mate — to breed
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. rest — what's left
  10. land — to come down
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. rest — what's left
  17. land — ground
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. squash — the sport
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. prune — to trim

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