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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — a stick
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. current — happening now
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rash — hasty
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bass — the fish
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. rash — a series
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. staff — employees
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. foot — a measure
  20. current — of water
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bass — low music
  24. current — electric

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