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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. object — to protest
  4. suit — clothes
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. game — wild animals
  8. object — an aim
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. object — a thing
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. suit — to fit
  15. game — a match
  16. chip — for betting
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. suit — in cards

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