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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bound — obliged
  4. swing — to play on
  5. track — a path
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. track — to keep track
  12. ball — a great time
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. rush — hurry
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bound — certain
  17. track — a song
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. ball — a dance
  21. swing — music
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bound — tied together

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