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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. land — a country
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. land — to come down
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. saw — the tool
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. mark — a grade
  14. roll — a cake
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. land — ground
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. roll — a list
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mark — a trace

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