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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. chest — of your body
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. chest — of your body
  8. present — the time now
  9. cue — a signal
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. chest — a box
  15. deal — to handle
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. present — there
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. land — ground
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. land — to come down
  24. present — a gift

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