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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. race — the arms race
  8. firm — a company
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bass — the fish
  14. race — a contest
  15. bass — low music
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. race — humankind
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. rock — music
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. face — part of the head
  24. mouse — the animal

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