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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. court — of a king
  9. chip — to eat
  10. club — a group
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. club — for golf
  14. cap — of ice
  15. pop — soda
  16. court — of law
  17. cap — a hat
  18. court — for sport
  19. pop — music
  20. cap — a lid
  21. current — happening now
  22. club — for dancing
  23. pop — to visit
  24. rule — government

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