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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. rule — government
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pit — in a race
  11. key — in music
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. band — a ring
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rock — music
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. rule — a law
  21. band — a music group
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. key — the most important part
  24. band — a rubber band

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