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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. club — for dancing
  4. land — a country
  5. club — for golf
  6. land — ground
  7. rule — a law
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. craft — a skill
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rule — government
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mark — a trace
  19. club — a group
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. craft — boats
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. land — to come down
  24. safe — a strongbox

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