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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 116 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bore — to tire
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. firm — a company
  9. rule — government
  10. sharp — clever
  11. stand — to bear
  12. firm — steady
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rest — what's left
  15. net — after costs
  16. rule — a law
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rest — what's left
  20. firm — decided
  21. net — in sport
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. net — for catching
  24. rest — a break

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