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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bank — for money
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. ball — a great time
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. chip — to eat
  11. dip — to sink
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. bear — the animal
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. can — a tin
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. can — a tin
  20. bank — for money
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bank — of a river

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