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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — to eat
  3. race — humankind
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. face — part of the head
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. race — the arms race
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. face — to point toward
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. face — to confront
  17. stand — to bear
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. race — a contest
  20. squash — the sport
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. squash — to crush

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