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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. pass — a permit
  3. object — an aim
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. present — the time now
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bear — the animal
  8. land — to come down
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. present — a gift
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bear — the animal
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. present — there
  22. land — ground
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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