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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. season — in sport
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. season — of the year
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. fall — the season
  21. rash — hasty
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. rash — a series
  24. dip — to sink

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