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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. rest — a break
  3. land — to come down
  4. face — to point toward
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. rest — what's left
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. can — a tin
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. can — a tin
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. hand — in cards
  15. can — to be able to
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. rest — what's left
  18. hand — help
  19. land — ground
  20. face — to confront
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. face — part of the head
  24. wave — of the sea

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