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

Word bank: wave · mate · deal · band · chip · rule · rock · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. mate — a friend
  7. chip — to eat
  8. band — a ring
  9. rock — music
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. rule — a law
  12. net — after costs
  13. rock — a stone
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mate — to breed
  16. band — a music group
  17. net — in sport
  18. chip — for betting
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. rule — government
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. mate — a partner
  24. chip — in a computer

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