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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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. pound — for dogs
  4. season — in sport
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pop — to visit
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pop — music
  13. pound — a weight
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pop — soda
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. tear — from crying
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. season — of the year
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — to rip

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