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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. rule — government
  3. chip — to eat
  4. track — to keep track
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. ground — a position
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. ground — the earth
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rule — a law
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. chip — for betting
  24. ground — crushed

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