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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. land — ground
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. spring — the season
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rest — what's left
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rest — what's left
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. spring — a coil
  14. spring — of water
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. craft — boats
  19. land — to come down
  20. rest — a break
  21. foot — a measure
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pitch — completely
  24. stand — to bear

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