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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. firm — decided
  8. roll — a cake
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. rule — government
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. rule — a law
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pitch — completely
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. foot — a measure
  18. chip — for betting
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. firm — steady
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. row — a line
  24. row — to paddle

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