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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. wind — moving air
  4. charge — electricity
  5. chip — for betting
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chip — to eat
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rest — a break
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mug — a face
  21. rest — what's left
  22. mug — to rob
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mug — a cup

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