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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. can — a tin
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. drill — the tool
  5. swing — in golf
  6. chip — for betting
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. drill — army training
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. chip — to eat
  13. land — ground
  14. can — to be able to
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. can — a tin
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — music
  20. tube — a container
  21. drill — a practice
  22. land — to come down
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. tube — the underground

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