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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rule — government
  3. rest — what's left
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bass — the fish
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. rest — a break
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. clip — a video
  16. rule — a law
  17. rest — what's left
  18. can — a tin
  19. face — to confront
  20. can — a tin
  21. bass — low music
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. clip — for paper
  24. clip — to cut

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