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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. craft — boats
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. degree — temperature
  13. degree — an amount
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. tube — a container
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. tube — the underground
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. rush — hurry
  20. degree — from a university
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. chip — to eat
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mine — for digging

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