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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: pop · cabinet · wave · arm · chip · wind · lean · rule

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. lean — thin
  3. rule — government
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. rule — a law
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. chip — to eat
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pop — soda
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pop — music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pop — to visit
  22. chip — for betting
  23. lean — to bend
  24. arm — part of the body

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