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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. race — the arms race
  3. chip — to eat
  4. mug — a face
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. capital — a city
  8. mug — a cup
  9. race — a contest
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. march — the month
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. race — humankind
  15. mug — to rob
  16. march — music
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. march — the month
  20. dip — to sink
  21. fork — in a road
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to succeed
  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