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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rest — what's left
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — steady
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. can — to be able to
  9. clip — a video
  10. lean — to bend
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. clip — to cut
  13. rest — a break
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. clip — for paper
  17. can — a tin
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. lean — thin
  21. deal — to handle
  22. firm — decided
  23. can — a tin
  24. ruler — for measuring

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