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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 has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — to eat
  3. toast — bread
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. rule — government
  6. land — to come down
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. land — a country
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. land — ground
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. rule — a law
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. pass — a permit
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. deal — to handle

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