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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fork — in a road
  4. face — part of the head
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. chip — to eat
  8. staff — employees
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. face — to confront
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rock — music
  14. shower — to wash
  15. shower — rain
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. staff — employees
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. staff — a stick
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. sharp — clever
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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