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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — a law
  7. ground — crushed
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. board — a committee
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. chip — to eat
  12. ground — the earth
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. board — to get on
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rule — government
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. chip — for betting
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. ground — a position

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