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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. hand — help
  5. rule — government
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. hand — in cards
  8. chip — for betting
  9. cell — a phone
  10. object — an aim
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. key — the most important part
  14. object — to protest
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. key — in music
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. key — for a lock
  20. object — a thing
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wake — a trail

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