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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. rule — government
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kick — in football
  7. shower — rain
  8. rule — a law
  9. firm — a company
  10. kid — child
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. shower — to wash
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. firm — decided
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. firm — steady
  18. cap — a lid
  19. chip — to eat
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. cap — of ice
  22. deal — to handle
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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