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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. land — ground
  4. track — to keep track
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. ball — a dance
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. track — a path
  9. roll — a list
  10. track — a song
  11. date — the fruit
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. land — to come down
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. roll — a cake
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. lie — to recline

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