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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 120 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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. present — a gift
  3. row — to paddle
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. hand — help
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. craft — a skill
  11. present — there
  12. craft — boats
  13. chip — for betting
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. stem — to come from
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rule — government
  20. present — the time now
  21. rule — a law
  22. hand — in cards
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. row — a line

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