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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. spell — letters
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rule — government
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. key — for a lock
  12. chair — a leader
  13. key — the most important part
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stem — to come from
  18. spell — a short time
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rule — a law
  21. key — in music
  22. spell — magic
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. chair — a professorship

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