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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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. jam — a tight spot
  4. fine — high quality
  5. current — of water
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. land — to come down
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. wake — a trail
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bank — for money
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. mate — to breed
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. fine — all right
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bank — for money
  19. current — electric
  20. current — happening now
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. mate — a friend
  23. bank — of a river
  24. patient — a sick person

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