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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. cue — for pool
  3. scale — size or range
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. wake — a trail
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. object — an aim
  14. pit — in a race
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pit — a hole
  17. rule — a law
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. object — a thing
  23. chip — to eat
  24. leaves — lets stay

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