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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. land — a country
  3. land — to come down
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rule — a law
  6. rush — hurry
  7. land — ground
  8. chip — to eat
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — crushed
  11. object — a thing
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rule — government
  17. ground — a position
  18. clip — a video
  19. clip — for paper
  20. clip — to cut
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — for betting
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — to protest

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