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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lean — thin
  6. object — an aim
  7. chip — for betting
  8. track — to keep track
  9. object — a thing
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. lean — to bend
  15. sharp — clever
  16. track — a song
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. object — to protest
  19. track — a path
  20. cell — in biology
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. chair — a leader

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