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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. race — a contest
  3. charge — electricity
  4. race — the arms race
  5. prune — to trim
  6. chip — for betting
  7. prune — to trim
  8. object — a thing
  9. rule — a law
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. mark — a trace
  14. charge — a price
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. rule — government
  17. mark — a grade
  18. charge — in control
  19. object — an aim
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. object — to protest
  22. race — humankind
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. vault — a safe

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