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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pit — a hole
  8. kid — to tease
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. chip — for betting
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. kid — child
  13. pound — a weight
  14. fine — all right
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pound — to hit hard

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