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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rule — government
  3. wax — to grow
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. rest — a break
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. rule — a law
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. rest — what's left
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. suit — to fit
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. suit — in cards
  21. chip — for betting
  22. game — wild animals
  23. suit — clothes
  24. game — a match

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