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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. saw — the tool
  3. can — a tin
  4. land — to come down
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. game — a match
  8. ground — crushed
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. land — a country
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. ground — a position
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. land — ground
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. can — to be able to
  19. ground — the earth
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pass — a permit
  24. can — a tin

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