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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. charge — electricity
  5. drill — a practice
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. charge — a price
  8. chip — to eat
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. drill — the tool
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — low music
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. drill — army training
  23. charge — in control
  24. racket — for tennis

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