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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — to come down
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fall — the season
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fall — to drop
  15. land — ground
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. prune — to trim
  18. firm — steady
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fall — to drop
  21. prune — to trim
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stem — a stem cell

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