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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — to eat
  3. key — in music
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. kid — to tease
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. kid — child
  12. lean — thin
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. march — music
  15. dip — to sink
  16. key — for a lock
  17. march — the month
  18. march — the month
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — a weight
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lean — to rest against

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