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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. ball — a great time
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. present — the time now
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. rule — a law
  7. present — a gift
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rock — music
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rule — government
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. rock — a stone
  16. fork — in a road
  17. chip — for betting
  18. present — there
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pit — in a race
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. track — a song
  23. track — a path
  24. ball — a round shape

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