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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. club — for golf
  3. race — humankind
  4. face — to point toward
  5. race — the arms race
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. face — to confront
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. face — part of the head
  10. chip — for betting
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for dancing
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — a law
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. fine — high quality
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. chip — to eat
  20. race — a contest
  21. rule — government
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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