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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wound — an injury
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. suit — to fit
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. suit — clothes
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rest — a break
  18. suit — in cards
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wind — moving air
  22. chip — to eat
  23. wind — moving air
  24. rest — what's left

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