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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. swing — in golf
  5. chip — for betting
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wound — an injury
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. suit — to fit
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. suit — clothes
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. suit — in cards
  17. swing — music
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. snap — to click
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. swing — to play on

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