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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. mug — to rob
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mug — a cup
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pit — a hole
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. mug — a face
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — the animal
  17. lean — to bend
  18. chip — for betting
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. lean — thin
  21. pit — in a race
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. nail — for a hammer

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