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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. land — a country
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. kick — in football
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. plane — a tool
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — of ice
  22. land — to come down
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wind — moving air

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