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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — a law
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. firm — steady
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. root — of a word
  8. firm — a company
  9. scale — size or range
  10. firm — decided
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. root — of a plant
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. root — the cause
  19. cap — a lid
  20. chip — for betting
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — to eat
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. scale — in music

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