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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. can — to be able to
  3. deal — to handle
  4. can — a tin
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bore — to tire
  8. club — for dancing
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — ground
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. club — for golf
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. club — a group
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bark — of a tree

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