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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rule — government
  3. cell — a phone
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. kid — child
  6. rule — a law
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. kid — to tease
  9. stock — shares
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mug — a face
  17. stock — goods
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. mug — a cup
  20. cell — in biology
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. chip — to eat
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. mug — to rob

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