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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 116 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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. rule — government
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. firm — steady
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bear — the animal
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. current — electric
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rule — a law
  17. firm — decided
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. firm — a company
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. kid — to tease
  24. coach — a trainer

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