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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rush — hurry
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. firm — a company
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. firm — steady
  14. game — wild animals
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wind — moving air
  19. lie — to recline
  20. game — a match
  21. chip — for betting
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. firm — decided
  24. rush — a thrill

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