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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. chip — for betting
  3. cap — a lid
  4. current — happening now
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. firm — a company
  9. degree — temperature
  10. chip — to eat
  11. firm — steady
  12. cap — a hat
  13. current — electric
  14. firm — decided
  15. degree — an amount
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. degree — from a university
  18. current — of water

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