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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rule — government
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. row — a line
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. race — humankind
  13. chip — for betting
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rule — a law
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. race — the arms race
  19. row — to paddle
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. chip — to eat
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. race — a contest

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