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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — for betting
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. game — a match
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rush — hurry
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. game — wild animals
  18. wax — to grow
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ball — a great time
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. jam — in traffic

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