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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 124 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. snap — to click
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. fork — in a road
  6. rest — a break
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. date — the fruit
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lean — to bend
  24. date — on the calendar

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