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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. mug — a face
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. object — a thing
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bat — the animal
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. chip — to eat
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. object — to protest
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — of water
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. kick — in football
  21. chip — for betting
  22. mug — to rob
  23. object — an aim
  24. firm — a company

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