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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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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · bulb · chip · rule · land · prune · track · pass

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. rule — a law
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. track — to keep track
  5. land — ground
  6. pass — a permit
  7. land — a country
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. land — to come down
  12. track — a song
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. prune — to trim
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. track — a path
  18. prune — to trim
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bulb — for light
  21. kick — in football
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rule — government
  24. chip — for betting

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