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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. ground — a position
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. fine — high quality
  10. chip — to eat
  11. cue — a hint
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — crushed
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fine — all right
  22. cue — for pool
  23. kick — in football
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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