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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rest — what's left
  3. land — a country
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pop — to visit
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. land — to come down
  9. pop — soda
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. sharp — clever
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. land — ground
  20. rest — a break
  21. prune — to trim
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pop — music
  24. rest — what's left

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