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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. roll — a cake
  8. chip — for betting
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. chest — a box
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. chip — to eat
  14. squash — the sport
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. squash — to crush
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chest — of your body
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

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