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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. can — a tin
  3. present — there
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fork — in a road
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. present — a gift
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. present — the time now
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. pit — a hole
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bear — the animal
  21. snap — to click
  22. pit — in a race
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. chip — for betting

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