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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. pit — a hole
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bass — the fish
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. dip — to sink
  11. club — for golf
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bass — low music
  15. bear — the animal
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. race — the arms race
  18. club — a group
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — a contest
  21. chip — for betting
  22. club — for dancing
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. pit — a fruit 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