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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. object — to protest
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lean — thin
  7. object — an aim
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. dip — to sink
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. lean — to bend
  15. land — to come down
  16. bank — of a river
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. object — a thing
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. land — ground
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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