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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.

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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. tube — a container
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. court — for sport
  8. pound — a weight
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. wound — an injury
  16. chip — to eat
  17. tube — the underground
  18. wound — an injury
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. charge — a price
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. charge — in control
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. court — of a king

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