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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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  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. hand — in cards
  2. squash — the sport
  3. swing — to play on
  4. chip — to eat
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mark — a grade
  9. chip — for betting
  10. mark — a trace
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. stand — to bear
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. swing — music
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. swing — in golf
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. hand — help
  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