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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 116 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  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. season — in sport
  2. season — of the year
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. object — to protest
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. staff — employees
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. current — electric
  10. wound — an injury
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. object — an aim
  13. scale — in music
  14. chip — to eat
  15. current — happening now
  16. object — a thing
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. current — of water
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. wound — an injury
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. scale — size or range
  24. chip — for betting

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