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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 124 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. chip — to eat
  3. scale — size or range
  4. mark — a grade
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. game — a match
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. ground — the earth
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rule — a law
  21. game — wild animals
  22. mark — a trace
  23. suit — to fit
  24. scale — in music

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