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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: fine · mug · racket · ruler · chip · club · stand · rule

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. rule — government
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. chip — for betting
  6. fine — all right
  7. mug — to rob
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. mug — a cup
  13. club — a group
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fine — high quality
  16. mug — a face
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rule — a law
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. club — for dancing
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. club — for golf

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