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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 120 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: land · mark · stick · bay · rock · mug · game · net

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. land — a country
  3. game — wild animals
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mark — a grade
  7. net — for catching
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. net — after costs
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mug — a face
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. game — a match
  15. mug — a cup
  16. land — ground
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. net — in sport
  22. mug — to rob
  23. land — to come down
  24. rock — a stone

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