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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. club — for dancing
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. club — for golf
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a match
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. club — a group
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bound — certain

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