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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. fine — all right
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. prune — to trim
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fine — high quality
  7. chip — for betting
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. chip — to eat
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. lie — to recline
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. prune — to trim
  24. dip — to sink

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