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

Word bank: chip · bowl · chest · racket · suit · shower · lean · straw

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chip — for betting
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. chip — to eat
  13. lean — thin
  14. suit — clothes
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. shower — to wash
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. shower — rain
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. lean — to bend
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. suit — to fit

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