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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: swing · chip · object · rule · fine · bear

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. fine — all right
  3. object — to protest
  4. swing — to play on
  5. object — a thing
  6. chip — for betting
  7. rule — a law
  8. swing — in golf
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. object — an aim
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. swing — music
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bear — the animal
  18. chip — to eat

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