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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 116 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. land — to come down
  5. current — electric
  6. club — a group
  7. march — the month
  8. land — ground
  9. fine — all right
  10. march — the month
  11. wound — an injury
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. club — for golf
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. current — happening now
  19. fine — high quality
  20. current — of water
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. march — music
  24. bowl — to roll

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