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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. current — electric
  5. rock — a stone
  6. current — of water
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rock — music
  11. present — there
  12. current — happening now
  13. present — the time now
  14. mug — a cup
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. mug — a face
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. mug — to rob
  19. present — a gift
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rash — a series
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rash — hasty

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