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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. chip — for betting
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bank — for money
  7. bear — the animal
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. bank — of a river
  10. swing — music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fine — all right
  13. chip — to eat
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. land — to come down
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. land — ground
  21. swing — to play on
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bank — for money

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