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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. chip — for betting
  3. firm — steady
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. season — in sport
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mug — a face
  10. chip — to eat
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mug — to rob
  15. swing — music
  16. mug — a cup
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. season — of the year
  20. charge — a price
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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