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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. lean — to bend
  3. rule — government
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rock — music
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. rule — a law
  8. rock — a stone
  9. chip — to eat
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. pass — a permit
  15. lean — thin
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. mine — for digging
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. dip — to sink
  24. calf — a young animal

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