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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. swing — music
  3. chip — for betting
  4. track — to keep track
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. last — finally
  8. rock — music
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. staff — employees
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. staff — a stick
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. track — a path
  15. last — final
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — in golf
  18. chair — a leader
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. chip — to eat
  21. staff — employees
  22. last — to go on
  23. track — a song
  24. wound — an injury

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