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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cue — for pool
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. dip — to sink
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rule — government
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bat — the animal
  11. cue — a signal
  12. rule — a law
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. chip — to eat
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — thin
  24. dip — a sauce

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