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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wake — a trail
  3. squash — the sport
  4. chip — to eat
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hand — in cards
  8. squash — to crush
  9. pop — music
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pop — to visit
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. hand — help
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pop — soda
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stand — to bear

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