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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. object — a thing
  4. rule — a law
  5. ball — a great time
  6. chip — to eat
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bulb — for light
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. cap — a lid
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. chip — for betting
  16. cap — of ice
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. ball — a dance
  20. object — to protest
  21. bulb — for light
  22. object — an aim
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cap — a hat

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