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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. chip — for betting
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mug — a cup
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pound — a weight
  12. kick — in football
  13. season — of the year
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — a law
  17. mug — to rob
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mug — a face
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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