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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. firm — decided
  3. rush — hurry
  4. club — a group
  5. chip — for betting
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. bark — to shout
  9. pit — in a race
  10. firm — steady
  11. kid — child
  12. firm — a company
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. club — for golf
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. kid — to tease

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