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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. plane — a tool
  3. march — the month
  4. land — a country
  5. land — to come down
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. march — music
  14. cue — a signal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. suit — clothes
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. march — the month
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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