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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: chip · pop · bulb · vault · charge · hand · rule · jam

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. chip — to eat
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. hand — in cards
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. charge — in control
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pop — to visit
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. hand — help
  16. bulb — for light
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. pop — soda
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pop — music
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rule — a law
  24. charge — a price

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