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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mate — to breed
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. chip — for betting
  6. ball — a dance
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — a law
  10. mate — a friend
  11. capital — a city
  12. chip — to eat
  13. ball — a great time
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. capital — money
  18. firm — steady
  19. mate — a partner
  20. firm — decided
  21. suit — clothes
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. firm — a company

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