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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. wind — moving air
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mate — a friend
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. roll — a cake
  10. pop — music
  11. roll — a list
  12. mate — to breed
  13. pop — soda
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — help
  16. pop — to visit
  17. chip — to eat
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. mate — a partner
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. chip — for betting

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