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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. track — to keep track
  3. chip — to eat
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — in football
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pop — to visit
  18. rest — a break
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. track — a song
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. track — a path
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. deal — to handle

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