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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pop — soda
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. swing — in golf
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pit — a hole
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — the earth
  15. pop — music
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bear — the animal
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. foot — a measure
  22. squash — the sport
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. chip — for betting

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