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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 120 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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pit — in a race
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pit — a hole
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mouse — for 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