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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rule — a law
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. lean — thin
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rule — government
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — to get on
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. chip — for betting
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. mine — for digging
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. lean — to bend
  22. board — a committee
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. patient — a sick person

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