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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 120 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. land — to come down
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. saw — the tool
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. present — there
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. present — the time now
  14. hand — help
  15. rock — music
  16. pass — a permit
  17. saw — the tool
  18. hand — in cards
  19. land — ground
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. rest — a break
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rock — a stone
  24. present — a gift

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