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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 is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. land — ground
  7. rest — what's left
  8. net — in sport
  9. rush — hurry
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mate — a friend
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rest — what's left
  16. mate — a partner
  17. rest — a break
  18. vault — a safe
  19. suit — in cards
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. chip — to eat
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. land — to come down
  24. mate — to breed

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