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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 116 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. firm — steady
  3. club — a group
  4. sharp — clever
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bear — the animal
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fall — the season
  9. bear — the animal
  10. chip — to eat
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. firm — decided
  15. fall — to drop
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fall — to drop
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ball — a dance
  22. firm — a company
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — for golf

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