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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rule — government
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. chip — to eat
  8. can — a tin
  9. charge — electricity
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pound — a weight
  12. can — a tin
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rule — a law
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. straw — a straw man

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