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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. charge — in control
  3. firm — steady
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. chip — to eat
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. charge — a price
  10. firm — a company
  11. capital — a city
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. charge — electricity
  15. ball — a great time
  16. field — for sport
  17. field — farmland
  18. field — a subject
  19. firm — decided
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. capital — money
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bulb — for light

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