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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — ground
  3. dip — to sink
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. land — a country
  6. suit — to fit
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. can — to be able to
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. suit — in cards
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bat — the animal
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. deal — to handle
  19. suit — clothes
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. stand — to bear

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