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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. date — the fruit
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. chip — to eat
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. chip — for betting
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. rule — a law
  15. key — for a lock
  16. rule — government
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stand — to bear
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. wave — of the sea

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