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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bulb — for light
  3. track — a song
  4. bulb — for light
  5. deal — to handle
  6. track — a path
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. roll — a cake
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. club — a group
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. club — for golf
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. roll — a list
  20. land — ground
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. track — to keep track
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. land — to come down

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