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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 120 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wound — an injury
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fall — the season
  6. chip — to eat
  7. face — part of the head
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. face — to confront
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rush — hurry
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rock — music
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. content — the amount
  19. rock — a stone
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. face — to point toward
  22. fall — to drop
  23. content — happy
  24. rush — to hurry

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