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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. current — of water
  4. current — electric
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. cell — in biology
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. chip — for betting
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. stock — shares
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — goods
  21. snap — to click
  22. current — happening now
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pitcher — a jug

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