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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. chip — to eat
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. rule — a law
  10. kid — to tease
  11. rush — hurry
  12. vault — a safe
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. chip — for betting
  15. kid — child
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rule — government
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. ball — a great time
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. ball — a dance
  24. trunk — of a car

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