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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 120 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. court — of law
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — soda
  11. bat — the animal
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mug — a face
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. court — for sport
  18. wake — a trail
  19. court — of a king
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mug — to rob
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bat — in an idiom

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