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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. present — there
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. present — the time now
  5. chip — to eat
  6. present — a gift
  7. rule — a law
  8. firm — a company
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. track — to keep track
  11. rash — hasty
  12. track — a path
  13. firm — steady
  14. current — of water
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. current — electric
  17. track — a song
  18. current — happening now
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. shower — rain
  21. rash — a series
  22. rule — government
  23. chip — for betting
  24. firm — decided

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