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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. chip — to eat
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. key — the most important part
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. cell — in biology
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. snap — to click
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. key — in music
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. deal — to handle
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. cell — a phone
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. chip — for betting
  22. dip — to sink
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. cell — in a prison

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