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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. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. court — of a king
  3. firm — decided
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. court — of law
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. can — a tin
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. land — to come down
  12. face — to confront
  13. rock — a stone
  14. land — ground
  15. court — for sport
  16. firm — a company
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to point toward
  19. can — to be able to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rock — music
  22. can — a tin
  23. firm — steady
  24. plane — a tool

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