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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.

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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. chip — to eat
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. spring — a coil
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chip — for betting
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spring — of water
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fall — the season
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wake — a trail
  21. spring — the season
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. rule — a law
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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