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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. object — a thing
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. club — a group
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. object — an aim
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. land — ground
  13. file — a document
  14. object — to protest
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. file — a line of people
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — for golf
  21. file — a tool
  22. land — to come down
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. leaves — to go away

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