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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. track — to keep track
  3. club — for golf
  4. cap — a lid
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cap — of ice
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. chip — to eat
  9. track — a path
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. mark — a grade
  13. cap — a hat
  14. tube — a container
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. club — for dancing
  17. track — a song
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. club — a group
  24. rush — hurry

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