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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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468
Word bank
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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. swing — to play on
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wax — to grow
  5. staff — employees
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. perch — the fish
  9. swing — music
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. swing — in golf
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rule — a law
  14. staff — a stick
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pitch — completely
  17. rule — government
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. chip — for betting
  23. staff — employees
  24. pitch — a sports field

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