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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. swing — to play on
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bat — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. swing — music
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. fine — all right
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rash — a series
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pitch — completely
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rule — government
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fine — high quality

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