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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. chip — for betting
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pop — music
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cold — not warm
  10. rule — government
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. drill — the tool
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. cold — an illness
  18. drill — army training
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pop — soda
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pop — to visit
  24. chip — in a computer

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