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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 116 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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. mug — a face
  6. mug — to rob
  7. prune — to trim
  8. file — a line of people
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. mine — for digging
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. file — a tool
  13. prune — to trim
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mug — a cup
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — a supporter

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