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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. land — a country
  3. land — to come down
  4. stock — goods
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. land — ground
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stock — shares
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. present — the time now
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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