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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. land — a country
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mate — a partner
  9. land — ground
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mate — to breed
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lie — to recline
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mine — for digging
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. land — to come down
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. chip — for betting
  22. snap — to click
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. vault — a safe

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