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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 120 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 · tube · mouse · face · chip · foot · stock · rash

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. rule — a law
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. stock — shares
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. stock — goods
  12. face — to point toward
  13. face — to confront
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rule — government
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. tube — a container
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — a series
  24. mouse — 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