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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. swing — in golf
  3. snap — to click
  4. cell — a phone
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. chip — to eat
  8. swing — to play on
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. wake — a trail
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. swing — music
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. ball — a great time
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. chip — for betting

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