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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. land — a country
  7. land — to come down
  8. current — of water
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. game — wild animals
  12. current — electric
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. land — ground
  16. suit — in cards
  17. chip — to eat
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bear — the animal
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. game — a match
  22. current — happening now
  23. suit — to fit
  24. chip — for betting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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