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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. saw — the tool
  3. charge — a price
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bound — tied together
  7. fine — high quality
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bound — certain
  13. charge — electricity
  14. fine — all right
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. saw — the tool
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bound — obliged
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — help
  22. game — a match
  23. charge — in control
  24. game — wild animals

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