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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: rush · rule · tube · chair · file · chip · pop · bark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. chip — for betting
  3. file — a document
  4. chair — a leader
  5. pop — to visit
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. pop — soda
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rule — government
  20. pop — music
  21. rule — a law
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a line of people
  24. rush — hurry

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