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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. pit — in a race
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — to eat
  5. kick — in football
  6. present — there
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. tube — the underground
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pit — a hole
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. present — the time now
  15. tube — a container
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. present — a gift
  23. pitch — completely
  24. fine — all right

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