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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — of your body
  3. tear — to rip
  4. mug — a face
  5. tear — from crying
  6. chest — a box
  7. club — for dancing
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pop — soda
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. pop — to visit
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. club — a group
  15. pop — music
  16. tear — from crying
  17. mug — to rob
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. mug — a cup
  20. club — for golf
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. chip — to eat
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. bowl — to roll

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