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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 120 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. object — an aim
  4. file — a document
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. chip — to eat
  7. object — a thing
  8. pass — a permit
  9. land — ground
  10. charge — a price
  11. land — a country
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. staff — a stick
  14. firm — steady
  15. chip — for betting
  16. firm — a company
  17. land — to come down
  18. file — a line of people
  19. staff — employees
  20. file — a tool
  21. object — to protest
  22. charge — in control
  23. firm — decided
  24. charge — electricity

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