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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 116 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. land — to come down
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. wound — an injury
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. pit — a hole
  11. land — ground
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. pit — in a race
  15. branch — a division
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. present — a gift
  24. trunk — of a car

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