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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. sharp — clever
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bear — the animal
  13. hand — in cards
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. hand — help
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. chest — of your body
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mark — a grade

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