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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bulb — for light
  5. row — a line
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. mug — a face
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mug — to rob
  14. land — to come down
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — the fruit
  18. land — ground
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. fine — high quality
  21. mug — a cup
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. row — to paddle

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