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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. march — the month
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. chip — to eat
  8. march — music
  9. present — there
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. march — the month
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. present — the time now
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. rash — a series
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bark — to shout
  23. present — a gift
  24. racket — for tennis

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