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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. stand — to bear
  3. chip — to eat
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. deal — to handle
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. chip — for betting
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. cell — in biology
  15. rule — government
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cell — a phone
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. rule — a law
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cabinet — ministers

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