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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. hand — help
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rash — a series
  7. suit — to fit
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. rash — hasty
  14. hand — in cards
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wound — an injury
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. chip — for betting
  22. suit — in cards
  23. pass — a permit
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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