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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. land — a country
  3. mug — a face
  4. land — to come down
  5. suit — clothes
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. spring — the season
  10. chip — to eat
  11. spring — a coil
  12. mug — a cup
  13. land — ground
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. chip — for betting
  20. mug — to rob
  21. ball — a dance
  22. spring — of water
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wound — an injury

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