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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 computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. club — for golf
  4. pit — a hole
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pit — in a race
  8. club — a group
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. kid — child
  12. club — for dancing
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. content — happy
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. race — humankind
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. race — a contest
  23. race — the arms race
  24. content — the amount

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