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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rule — a law
  5. net — in sport
  6. cap — a lid
  7. season — of the year
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. cap — a hat
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. track — a song
  12. net — after costs
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — in sport
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. cap — of ice
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. track — to keep track
  21. net — for catching
  22. rule — government
  23. branch — a division
  24. track — a path

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