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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 116 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. game — a match
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. fall — to drop
  7. object — an aim
  8. lean — thin
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. rule — a law
  13. game — wild animals
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. object — to protest
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. chip — to eat
  19. fall — to drop
  20. object — a thing
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. rush — hurry
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — to bend

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