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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stand — to bear
  4. clip — to cut
  5. key — the most important part
  6. deal — to handle
  7. firm — steady
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. land — ground
  11. key — for a lock
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. clip — a video
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. key — in music
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pit — a hole
  22. land — to come down
  23. clip — for paper
  24. stand — for spectators

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