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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — a country
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. deal — to handle
  5. root — the cause
  6. land — ground
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. cold — not warm
  16. cold — an illness
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. root — of a plant
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. root — of a word
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. vault — a safe

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