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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. kid — to tease
  5. staff — a stick
  6. kid — child
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. rock — a stone
  10. cap — a lid
  11. staff — employees
  12. firm — decided
  13. chip — for betting
  14. cap — a hat
  15. wake — a trail
  16. firm — a company
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. staff — employees
  19. rock — music
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. cap — of ice
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. firm — steady
  24. wind — moving air

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