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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. rule — government
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. ground — the earth
  9. rule — a law
  10. stem — to come from
  11. deal — to handle
  12. band — a ring
  13. chip — for betting
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — crushed
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bore — to tire
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bore — to drill
  21. band — a music group
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. chip — to eat
  24. perch — for a bird

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