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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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. row — to paddle
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mark — a trace
  8. can — a tin
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. kick — in football
  13. rule — government
  14. row — a line
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rule — a law
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mark — a grade
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  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