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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. firm — decided
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. lean — thin
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mug — to rob
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. firm — a company
  14. mug — a cup
  15. pound — a weight
  16. chip — for betting
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mug — a face
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. firm — steady
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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