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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. lean — to bend
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. march — music
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. march — the month
  12. toast — bread
  13. lean — thin
  14. land — to come down
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. march — the month
  21. pound — a weight
  22. suit — clothes
  23. land — ground
  24. fan — a supporter

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