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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 116 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 · mark · ball · suit · chip · wind · pit · game

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — moving air
  4. suit — to fit
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — in a race
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rule — a law
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mark — a trace
  14. game — a match
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rule — government
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. mark — a grade
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wind — to turn a key

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