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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  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 — in a computer
  2. pop — soda
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wake — a trail
  5. staff — a stick
  6. clip — a video
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — in a race
  16. staff — employees
  17. chip — to eat
  18. clip — for paper
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. staff — employees
  21. clip — to cut
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. jam — in traffic
  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