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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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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. field — a subject
  3. rock — a stone
  4. last — to go on
  5. chip — to eat
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pass — a permit
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. last — finally
  11. field — farmland
  12. field — for sport
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. lie — to recline
  18. last — final

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