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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. race — a contest
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. race — the arms race
  12. saw — the tool
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bass — the fish
  19. race — humankind
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bass — low music
  24. wind — moving air

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