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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  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. wound — an injury
  3. chip — to eat
  4. tube — a container
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. tube — the underground
  17. sharp — clever
  18. dip — to sink
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mine — for digging
  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