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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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. craft — a handicraft
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. march — the month
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. craft — boats
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ground — the earth
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. land — ground
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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