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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ground — the earth
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ground — crushed
  7. mug — a cup
  8. hand — help
  9. mug — a face
  10. row — a line
  11. suit — in cards
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. spell — magic
  14. row — to paddle
  15. spell — letters
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. rule — government
  18. spell — a short time
  19. chip — to eat
  20. chip — for betting
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rule — a law
  23. hand — in cards
  24. ground — a position

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