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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rule — government
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. squash — the sport
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. mark — a trace
  19. row — to paddle
  20. mark — a grade
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. row — a line
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. squash — to crush

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