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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.

Words on the sheet
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: track · land · chip · dip · suit · rule · pound · staff

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. rule — government
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. chip — for betting
  6. suit — clothes
  7. land — a country
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rule — a law
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. pound — a weight
  13. land — to come down
  14. dip — to sink
  15. staff — employees
  16. track — a path
  17. staff — a stick
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. track — to keep track
  21. suit — in cards
  22. staff — employees
  23. land — ground
  24. track — a song

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