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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. firm — a company
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. present — there
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. last — finally
  13. chest — a box
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. prune — to trim
  16. last — final
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. prune — to trim
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — steady
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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