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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. chip — for betting
  4. scale — size or range
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mug — to rob
  7. suit — in cards
  8. chip — to eat
  9. sharp — clever
  10. scale — in music
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — a gift
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wound — an injury
  19. suit — clothes
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — a face
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. wound — an injury
  24. sharp — exactly

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