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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. last — finally
  3. board — to get on
  4. pass — a permit
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. land — to come down
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. tube — the underground
  11. last — final
  12. land — ground
  13. board — a committee
  14. tube — a container
  15. last — to go on
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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