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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. chip — to eat
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. mate — a friend
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a hole
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mate — a partner
  14. kid — child
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. net — for catching
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. kid — to tease
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mate — to breed
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  24. row — a line

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