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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. pound — a weight
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. vault — a safe
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. land — ground
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rule — government
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. rule — a law
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. chip — to eat
  21. sharp — clever
  22. land — to come down
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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