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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rash — a series
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pop — music
  12. lean — thin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. pop — soda
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. chip — for betting
  24. rush — hurry

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