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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 116 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: lie · tear · mug · kick · fan · land · coach · object

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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. coach — pulled by horses
  4. object — an aim
  5. mug — a face
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. land — to come down
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. tear — from crying
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. tear — from crying
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mug — to rob
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. mug — a cup
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. tear — to rip

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