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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — to come down
  3. pass — a permit
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. firm — decided
  6. capital — a city
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. can — to be able to
  13. lie — to recline
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. land — ground
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. firm — a company
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. plane — a tool
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. capital — money
  22. firm — steady
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. lie — an untruth

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