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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 120 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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — a country
  3. firm — a company
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. firm — steady
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. current — happening now
  11. cue — for pool
  12. current — electric
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bass — low music
  16. land — ground
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. foot — a measure
  20. cue — a signal
  21. firm — decided
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bass — the fish
  24. current — of water

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