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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. object — an aim
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. land — a country
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. land — to come down
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. hand — help
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. track — a path
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. object — to protest
  17. sharp — clever
  18. track — to keep track
  19. hand — in cards
  20. track — a song
  21. pass — a permit
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. object — a thing
  24. land — ground

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