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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. dip — to sink
  3. hand — in cards
  4. season — of the year
  5. roll — a list
  6. club — for dancing
  7. hand — help
  8. season — in sport
  9. roll — a cake
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. stand — to bear
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — a group
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. chip — to eat
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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