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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rock — music
  3. object — an aim
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. race — the arms race
  6. march — the month
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. race — a contest
  10. march — the month
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. race — humankind
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. track — a path
  16. chip — to eat
  17. track — to keep track
  18. object — to protest
  19. march — music
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. track — a song
  23. object — a thing
  24. rock — a stone

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