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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. current — electric
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fall — the season
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pitch — completely
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. chip — to eat
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. rule — government
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. current — of water
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mark — a trace
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fall — to drop
  24. current — happening now

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