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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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Word bank
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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. bass — the fish
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. land — a country
  6. chip — for betting
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. spring — the season
  9. bass — low music
  10. land — to come down
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mug — a cup
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mug — a face
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. rush — hurry
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. spring — of water
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. land — ground
  24. rush — a thrill

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