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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. toast — bread
  3. kick — in football
  4. dip — to sink
  5. chip — for betting
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. ball — a great time
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. chip — to eat
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chair — a leader
  20. ball — a dance
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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