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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. toast — bread
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. chip — for betting
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. last — finally
  11. dip — to sink
  12. last — to go on
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. last — final
  16. pass — a permit
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. toast — the most admired

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