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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. chip — for betting
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. object — to protest
  5. rest — a break
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. club — for dancing
  8. land — to come down
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. club — a group
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rest — what's left
  14. craft — a skill
  15. object — a thing
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. chip — to eat
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. club — for golf
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. craft — boats
  22. object — an aim
  23. land — ground
  24. rest — what's left

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