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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. press — a publisher
  6. land — ground
  7. bound — certain
  8. cue — a hint
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fine — high quality
  11. press — newspapers
  12. bound — obliged
  13. vault — a safe
  14. land — to come down
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. cue — for pool
  17. hand — in cards
  18. game — wild animals
  19. cue — a signal
  20. press — to push
  21. fine — all right
  22. game — a match
  23. hand — help
  24. bound — tied together

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