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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. rash — hasty
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. face — to point toward
  9. scale — size or range
  10. face — part of the head
  11. scale — in music
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. face — to confront
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. ball — a dance
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rash — a series
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. suit — clothes

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