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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. content — happy
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rock — a stone
  7. charge — in control
  8. field — farmland
  9. field — for sport
  10. saw — the tool
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. rock — music
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. field — a subject
  15. chip — for betting
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. chip — to eat
  20. content — the amount
  21. charge — a price
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. charge — electricity
  24. nail — for a hammer

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