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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pit — a hole
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. firm — a company
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. chip — to eat
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. lean — thin
  12. game — a match
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pit — in a race
  16. fall — the season
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. firm — steady
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wax — to grow
  21. game — wild animals
  22. firm — decided
  23. lean — to bend
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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