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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. land — a country
  3. land — to come down
  4. date — the fruit
  5. chip — for betting
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. snap — to click
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. land — ground
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. suit — in cards
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. dip — to sink
  16. saw — the tool
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. saw — the tool
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. suit — clothes
  23. chip — to eat
  24. suit — to fit

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