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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. foot — a measure
  6. cap — of ice
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cap — a lid
  9. chip — to eat
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. chip — for betting
  13. charge — a price
  14. cap — a hat
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity

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