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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — a country
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. land — ground
  5. pit — in a race
  6. deal — to handle
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. pit — a hole
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. current — happening now
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. branch — a division
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. suit — in cards

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