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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 116 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 took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. shower — rain
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. chip — to eat
  5. clip — to cut
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. tube — the underground
  8. clip — a video
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pitch — completely
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. fork — in a road
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. shower — to wash
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. clip — for paper
  24. hide — animal skin

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