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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mark — a grade
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. firm — decided
  8. game — a match
  9. firm — steady
  10. ball — a dance
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. firm — a company
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. game — wild animals
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rush — hurry
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. mark — a trace

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