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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — to come down
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rule — government
  5. game — a match
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. cap — a lid
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. staff — a stick
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cap — of ice
  13. rule — a law
  14. staff — employees
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rash — hasty
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cap — a hat
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — wild animals
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. staff — employees
  23. land — ground
  24. rash — a series

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