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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. sharp — clever
  4. cap — of ice
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. charge — in control
  7. perch — the fish
  8. object — to protest
  9. charge — a price
  10. object — an aim
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cap — a lid
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bound — obliged
  18. cap — a hat
  19. object — a thing
  20. bound — tied together
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. chip — to eat
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bound — certain

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