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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. chip — for betting
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pop — soda
  9. firm — steady
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. firm — a company
  12. pop — to visit
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pass — a permit
  15. chip — to eat
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. ball — a dance
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pop — music
  23. firm — decided
  24. nail — on a finger

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