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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ball — a great time
  5. rule — a law
  6. plane — a tool
  7. race — the arms race
  8. chip — to eat
  9. face — to confront
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — a city
  12. race — humankind
  13. rock — music
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. chip — for betting
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. race — a contest
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. face — to point toward
  22. rule — government
  23. face — part of the head
  24. ball — a dance

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