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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. land — a country
  3. land — to come down
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pitch — completely
  7. land — ground
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. row — a line
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — the cause
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. root — of a word
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. row — a quarrel

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