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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — to eat
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. tear — from crying
  8. lean — thin
  9. deal — to handle
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. last — final
  12. rush — hurry
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. lean — to bend
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. last — to go on
  18. tear — to rip
  19. chip — for betting
  20. last — finally
  21. tear — from crying
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rush — a thrill

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