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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: lie · row · rule · chip · tube · wind · ground · deal

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. ground — crushed
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. tube — the underground
  5. ground — a position
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lie — to recline
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. tube — a container
  16. rule — government
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wind — moving air
  20. rule — a law
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. deal — to handle

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