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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. land — a country
  3. land — ground
  4. bore — to tire
  5. current — happening now
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. land — to come down
  8. current — electric
  9. season — in sport
  10. track — a song
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. track — a path
  14. firm — decided
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bore — to drill
  17. current — of water
  18. firm — a company
  19. season — of the year
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. firm — steady
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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