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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. charge — a price
  5. present — the time now
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. chip — to eat
  8. present — there
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. chip — for betting
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. hide — to keep secret

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