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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. pop — music
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. charge — in control
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bass — low music
  9. club — for golf
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. pop — soda
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. club — a group
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bass — the fish
  18. perch — the fish
  19. chip — to eat
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. snap — to click
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. pop — to visit

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