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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. land — to come down
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. land — ground
  5. charge — electricity
  6. land — a country
  7. charge — in control
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. charge — a price
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. cue — a hint
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a signal
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. wind — moving air

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