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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 is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. lie — to recline
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. club — a group
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. craft — boats
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. land — ground
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. sharp — clever
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pit — in a race
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pit — a hole
  20. land — to come down
  21. club — for dancing
  22. wind — moving air
  23. club — for golf
  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