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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — ground
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. shower — rain
  5. craft — boats
  6. shower — to wash
  7. firm — a company
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. firm — decided
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stand — to bear
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. land — to come down
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. firm — steady
  24. craft — a skill

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