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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bat — the animal
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — a company
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. swing — to play on
  10. chip — for betting
  11. clip — a video
  12. lie — to recline
  13. clip — for paper
  14. root — the cause
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. firm — steady
  21. root — of a word
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. clip — to cut
  24. root — of a plant

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