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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chip — for betting
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rock — a stone
  6. kid — child
  7. chip — to eat
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. kid — to tease
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — completely
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rock — music
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — to fit
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. suit — clothes
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — for a computer

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