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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. ground — the earth
  6. rock — a stone
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. current — of water
  9. ground — a position
  10. net — for catching
  11. tube — a container
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rock — music
  14. tube — the underground
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mark — a grade
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. net — in sport
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ground — crushed
  21. current — happening now
  22. mark — a trace
  23. net — after costs
  24. current — electric

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