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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. fall — the season
  4. rule — government
  5. chip — for betting
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. cap — a lid
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rest — a break
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. fall — to drop
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rule — a law
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bass — low music
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a hat

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