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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. firm — steady
  4. fall — to drop
  5. firm — decided
  6. fall — the season
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — in football
  14. fall — to drop
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. firm — a company
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rest — what's left

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