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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to click
  3. chip — to eat
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pop — music
  7. pop — to visit
  8. chip — for betting
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bound — obliged
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bass — low music
  14. bound — certain
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. pop — soda
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. squash — to crush
  24. chip — in a computer

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