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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 has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bass — low music
  3. rule — a law
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. swing — music
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bass — the fish
  8. capital — a city
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. rule — government
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. capital — money
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pop — soda
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. capital — a big letter

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