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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. land — a country
  4. saw — the tool
  5. land — to come down
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. can — to be able to
  11. tube — the underground
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. can — a tin
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. can — a tin
  18. plane — a tool
  19. last — to go on
  20. tube — a container
  21. last — final
  22. last — finally
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. land — ground

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