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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. staff — a stick
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. current — happening now
  6. staff — employees
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. current — electric
  9. chip — to eat
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. chip — for betting
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. staff — employees
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. game — wild animals
  20. rest — what's left
  21. date — the fruit
  22. game — a match
  23. object — an aim
  24. date — on the calendar

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