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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. deal — to handle
  8. bore — to drill
  9. land — to come down
  10. pitch — completely
  11. roll — a list
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. land — ground
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. wake — a trail
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. bore — to tire
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. roll — a cake
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wake — before a funeral

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