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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · hide · firm · swing · chip · game · leaves · nail

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. chip — for betting
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. game — wild animals
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. firm — steady
  8. swing — in golf
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. swing — to play on
  12. chip — to eat
  13. firm — decided
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. swing — music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. firm — a company
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. hide — animal skin

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