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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 116 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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. can — a tin
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. spell — letters
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wake — a trail
  10. spell — magic
  11. present — there
  12. lie — to recline
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. can — to be able to
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. present — a gift
  17. land — to come down
  18. can — a tin
  19. rush — hurry
  20. spell — a short time
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. land — ground
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. present — the time now

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