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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. mug — to rob
  3. fine — high quality
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fine — all right
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mug — a face
  13. craft — a skill
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. craft — boats
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bass — low music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — the instrument

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