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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 · craft · deal · chip · cell · drill · bound · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. deal — to handle
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. cell — in biology
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. drill — a practice
  8. cell — a phone
  9. chip — to eat
  10. drill — army training
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bound — obliged
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. drill — the tool
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bound — certain
  18. chip — for betting
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a skill
  21. rule — government
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bound — tied together
  24. rule — a law

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