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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. club — for golf
  3. bound — certain
  4. cap — of ice
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cap — a hat
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rule — a law
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bound — obliged
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — for betting
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bound — tied together

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