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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. firm — steady
  3. chip — for betting
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. ball — a dance
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — the fruit
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. firm — a company
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. race — humankind
  13. firm — decided
  14. race — the arms race
  15. chip — to eat
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. tear — from crying
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kick — in football
  20. ball — a great time
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. tear — from crying
  23. race — a contest
  24. tear — to rip

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