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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. file — a line of people
  3. land — to come down
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. season — in sport
  10. season — of the year
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bulb — for light
  17. file — a document
  18. land — ground
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. file — a tool
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. temple — side of the head

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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