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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. clip — for paper
  7. squash — the sport
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cap — a hat
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chip — to eat
  17. clip — a video
  18. mark — a trace
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. clip — to cut
  22. cap — of ice
  23. cap — a lid
  24. chip — in a computer

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