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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 want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. chip — for betting
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. rock — a stone
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a list
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. snap — to click
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. saw — the tool
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. roll — a cake
  22. firm — decided
  23. rock — music
  24. pass — a permit

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