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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. firm — steady
  10. chip — for betting
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. firm — a company
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rule — government
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. firm — decided
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. rule — a law
  24. mouse — the animal

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