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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chip — for betting
  3. swing — to play on
  4. chip — to eat
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — of the year
  9. ball — a dance
  10. swing — in golf
  11. lie — to recline
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. board — to get on
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. swing — music
  17. rule — a law
  18. board — a committee
  19. rule — government
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. ball — a great time
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cabinet — ministers

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