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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wound — an injury
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. can — a tin
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. deal — to handle
  17. chip — to eat
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. wound — an injury
  24. rush — hurry

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