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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. chip — for betting
  3. can — to be able to
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. can — a tin
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rule — government
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. rule — a law
  13. ball — a great time
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. can — a tin
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pit — a hole
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. ball — a dance

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