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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bass — the fish
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bound — certain
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bass — low music
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bound — obliged
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mug — a cup
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bound — tied together
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mug — to rob

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