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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: rule · stand · club · chip · band · arm · fine · ball

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. stand — to bear
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. ball — a dance
  9. club — for golf
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. fine — high quality
  14. club — for dancing
  15. fine — all right
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a music group
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. club — a group

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