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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. tube — a container
  3. chip — to eat
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. firm — decided
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chip — for betting
  10. firm — a company
  11. pop — soda
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pop — music
  15. rule — government
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. firm — steady
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pop — to visit
  20. wind — moving air
  21. rule — a law
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — thin
  24. wind — moving air

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