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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. chip — to eat
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. chip — for betting
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. shower — to wash
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. firm — a company
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. shower — rain
  19. wind — moving air
  20. firm — steady
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. firm — decided
  24. chip — in a computer

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