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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — after costs
  4. bass — low music
  5. file — a document
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. file — a tool
  8. mug — a cup
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bear — the animal
  13. file — a line of people
  14. prune — to trim
  15. can — a tin
  16. mug — a face
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. prune — to trim
  19. can — a tin
  20. mug — to rob
  21. net — for catching
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bear — to put up with

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