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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 120 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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. season — in sport
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rule — a law
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. firm — a company
  8. band — a ring
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rule — government
  11. firm — decided
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. squash — to crush
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. firm — steady
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. season — of the year
  20. band — a music group
  21. chip — to eat
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — the sport
  24. rule — to rule out

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