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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — ground
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bulb — for light
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. dip — to sink
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. row — a line
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. bulb — for light
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. row — to paddle
  16. firm — steady
  17. land — to come down
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. coach — a trainer

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