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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rule — government
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rest — a break
  6. tube — the underground
  7. craft — boats
  8. tube — a container
  9. rule — a law
  10. can — to be able to
  11. rest — what's left
  12. spell — magic
  13. present — a gift
  14. chip — to eat
  15. present — there
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. spell — letters
  18. rest — what's left
  19. can — a tin
  20. present — the time now
  21. chip — for betting
  22. can — a tin
  23. craft — a skill
  24. tube — in a tire

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