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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. track — a song
  4. firm — a company
  5. hand — in cards
  6. track — a path
  7. firm — decided
  8. chip — to eat
  9. firm — steady
  10. club — for dancing
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. club — a group
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. club — for golf
  20. hand — help
  21. chip — for betting
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. track — to keep track

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