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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 116 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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. chip — to eat
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. rule — government
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — for digging
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — completely
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chip — for betting
  20. race — the arms race
  21. root — of a plant
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — humankind
  24. rule — a law

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