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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. club — for dancing
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. fine — all right
  5. capital — money
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. wound — an injury
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. current — of water
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. current — electric
  16. club — a group
  17. capital — a city
  18. chip — to eat
  19. club — for golf
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. current — happening now
  22. wound — an injury
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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