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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: rule · chip · bear · rock · fork · racket · scale · wind

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — in music
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. rock — music
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rule — government
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rule — a law
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fork — in a road
  15. wind — moving air
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. wind — moving air
  19. scale — size or range
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bear — the animal

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