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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. chip — for betting
  3. kid — child
  4. land — to come down
  5. key — in music
  6. rule — government
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. object — an aim
  10. suit — in cards
  11. land — a country
  12. kid — to tease
  13. track — a song
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. key — the most important part
  18. object — a thing
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. object — to protest
  23. land — ground
  24. rule — a law

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