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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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. hide — animal skin
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. hand — help
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. toast — bread
  9. hand — in cards
  10. ball — a dance
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. land — ground
  17. staff — employees
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. ball — a great time
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. hand — part of the body

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