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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rule — government
  4. chip — to eat
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bass — the fish
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cue — for pool
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. tube — a container
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — a series
  17. tube — the underground
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — a law
  21. bass — low music
  22. rush — hurry
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. rush — a thrill

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