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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 120 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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. suit — in cards
  5. spell — magic
  6. craft — a skill
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. suit — to fit
  9. current — of water
  10. chip — for betting
  11. suit — clothes
  12. spell — letters
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. current — electric
  15. spell — a short time
  16. kick — in football
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. craft — boats
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. current — happening now
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. patient — a sick person

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