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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: bowl · mug · rule · wound · fall · chip · jam · club

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — to rob
  6. club — a group
  7. chip — for betting
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. club — for golf
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. fall — the season
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. club — for dancing
  17. rule — a law
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. fall — to drop
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rule — government
  23. chip — to eat
  24. rule — to rule out

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