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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. pop — soda
  3. bulb — for light
  4. land — ground
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bear — the animal
  10. land — to come down
  11. rest — a break
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pop — music
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — what's left
  22. current — electric
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pop — to visit

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