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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 120 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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — soda
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lean — to bend
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. wax — to grow
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. lean — thin
  21. rock — music
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pitch — completely

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