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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — ground
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. land — to come down
  5. shower — rain
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. shower — to wash
  11. wax — to grow
  12. lie — to recline
  13. march — music
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. march — the month
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. march — the month
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. lean — thin
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lean — to bend

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