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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 120 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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. hand — help
  3. wake — a trail
  4. can — to be able to
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. can — a tin
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. chip — for betting
  9. suit — in cards
  10. lie — to recline
  11. hand — in cards
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. can — a tin
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. snap — to click
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. suit — clothes

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