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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. club — for golf
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. race — humankind
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. charge — in control
  11. saw — the tool
  12. firm — a company
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — steady
  16. saw — the tool
  17. race — a contest
  18. chip — to eat
  19. fork — in a road
  20. race — the arms race
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — a price
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. club — for dancing

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