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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 120 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. chip — to eat
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mug — a face
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rush — hurry
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. rule — government
  15. mug — to rob
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mug — a cup
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. pit — a hole
  24. rush — a thrill

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