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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. lean — to bend
  3. fine — all right
  4. chip — for betting
  5. lean — thin
  6. spring — of water
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fine — high quality
  11. rule — a law
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rush — hurry
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. spring — the season
  17. rule — government
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. chip — to eat
  20. club — for dancing
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. spring — a coil
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — a group

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