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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 116 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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — in sport
  5. file — a document
  6. march — the month
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. firm — decided
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. firm — a company
  13. net — after costs
  14. suit — in cards
  15. swing — to play on
  16. file — a line of people
  17. firm — steady
  18. swing — in golf
  19. march — music
  20. march — the month
  21. file — a tool
  22. suit — to fit
  23. swing — music
  24. suit — clothes

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