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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mate — a friend
  3. present — there
  4. rule — government
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. capital — a city
  9. mate — a partner
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. lean — to bend
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. mate — to breed
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — a law
  16. present — the time now
  17. lean — thin
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. chip — to eat
  20. present — a gift
  21. toast — bread
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. capital — money

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