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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 116 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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — to eat
  5. track — a song
  6. row — to paddle
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rule — government
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. row — a line
  11. rule — a law
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. track — a path
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. track — to keep track
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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