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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. kid — child
  6. bound — tied together
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. chip — to eat
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. charge — electricity
  12. kid — to tease
  13. deal — to handle
  14. charge — in control
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pit — in a race
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. charge — a price
  20. bound — obliged
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fan — to cool the air

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