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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. ball — a dance
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. land — to come down
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. land — ground
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cue — a signal
  14. cap — of ice
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cap — a hat
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ball — a great time
  21. cue — a hint
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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