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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: hand · chip · ruler · foot · leaves · game · rule · fan

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rule — government
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — a measure
  9. chip — for betting
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. hand — help
  13. hand — in cards
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. game — a match
  16. chip — to eat
  17. game — wild animals
  18. rule — a law
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. hand — part of the body

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