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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. chair — a leader
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. chip — to eat
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cue — a hint
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. cue — for pool
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mark — a grade
  21. deal — to handle
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rule — government
  24. patient — a sick person

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