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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. club — for golf
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. row — a line
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. court — of law
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. court — of a king
  9. march — music
  10. club — for dancing
  11. chip — for betting
  12. toast — bread
  13. march — the month
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. chip — to eat
  17. row — to paddle
  18. march — the month
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. rule — government
  22. court — for sport
  23. club — a group
  24. chip — in a computer

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