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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 116 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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. rock — music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. perch — the fish
  7. land — ground
  8. field — for sport
  9. suit — to fit
  10. field — farmland
  11. suit — clothes
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rash — hasty
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. field — a subject
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. land — a country
  18. suit — in cards
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rash — a series
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — a law
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. nail — for a hammer

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