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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. face — to point toward
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bass — low music
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. rush — hurry
  12. bound — obliged
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. suit — in cards
  16. land — to come down
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bound — certain
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. land — ground
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. face — to confront

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