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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. staff — a stick
  4. wake — a trail
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. staff — employees
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. firm — a company
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bulb — for light
  14. firm — steady
  15. rest — a break
  16. ball — a dance
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. land — to come down
  21. staff — employees
  22. firm — decided
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. land — ground

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