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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. chip — for betting
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. snap — to click
  15. lean — thin
  16. face — to point toward
  17. stock — goods
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. face — part of the head
  23. stock — shares
  24. face — to confront

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