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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bark — to shout
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rash — a series
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. chip — for betting
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. scale — size or range
  17. lie — to recline
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. rule — a law
  20. chip — to eat
  21. scale — in music
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rule — government

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