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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 116 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. ball — a dance
  4. chip — to eat
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. can — a tin
  7. field — a subject
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ball — a great time
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. can — to be able to
  19. field — for sport
  20. snap — to click
  21. field — farmland
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. can — a tin

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