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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. degree — temperature
  12. suit — to fit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. snap — to click
  15. degree — from a university
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. chip — for betting
  19. prune — to trim
  20. degree — an amount
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. shower — rain
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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