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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — a container
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. net — after costs
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. net — for catching
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. net — in sport
  14. chip — for betting
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. chip — to eat
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. tube — in a tire

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