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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. present — there
  4. squash — the sport
  5. present — a gift
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. squash — to crush
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pop — soda
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. present — the time now
  15. ball — a great time
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. ball — a dance
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pop — to visit
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pop — music

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