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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: bear · rule · deal · nail · bowl · row · chip · cell

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rule — government
  3. chip — for betting
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bear — the animal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. cell — a phone
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. row — a line
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rule — a law
  24. nail — on a finger

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