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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chip — for betting
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bass — the fish
  7. scale — in music
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rule — government
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. current — electric
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bass — low music
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. rule — a law
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. calf — of the leg

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