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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bound — certain
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. staff — employees
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — in cards
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. staff — a stick
  14. hand — help
  15. can — a tin
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — rain
  19. bound — obliged
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. staff — employees
  22. chip — to eat
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bound — tied together

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