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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. fork — in a road
  3. board — a committee
  4. track — a song
  5. chest — a box
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. track — a path
  9. land — to come down
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chest — of your body
  12. net — after costs
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. board — to get on
  15. track — to keep track
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bulb — for light
  18. net — for catching
  19. bulb — for light
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. land — ground
  22. net — in sport
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. safe — a strongbox

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