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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. chip — for betting
  4. lie — to recline
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ball — a great time
  9. race — humankind
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. race — the arms race
  12. tear — to rip
  13. firm — steady
  14. tear — from crying
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tear — from crying
  17. ball — a dance
  18. firm — decided
  19. firm — a company
  20. race — a contest
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. racket — a loud noise

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