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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. suit — in cards
  3. game — wild animals
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. land — to come down
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. suit — clothes
  8. wax — to grow
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. land — ground
  13. pass — a permit
  14. game — a match
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. board — a committee
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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