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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. chip — to eat
  3. firm — a company
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — what's left
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. firm — steady
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. court — of law
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. court — of a king
  15. toast — bread
  16. court — for sport
  17. firm — decided
  18. chip — in a computer

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