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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. chip — to eat
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — an aim
  5. hand — help
  6. track — a song
  7. object — to protest
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. track — a path
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. season — of the year
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. hand — in cards
  18. lie — to recline
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bark — to shout
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lean — thin

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