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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. suit — clothes
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. prune — to trim
  5. chip — for betting
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bound — tied together
  8. season — of the year
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. race — a contest
  11. season — in sport
  12. race — the arms race
  13. suit — in cards
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — music
  16. prune — to trim
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. swing — to play on
  20. chip — to eat
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. race — humankind
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — of a tree

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