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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · bulb · pit · object · land · nail · track · chair

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — a country
  3. track — a song
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. pit — in a race
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. land — ground
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bulb — for light
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. track — a path
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bulb — for light
  23. track — to keep track
  24. object — a thing

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