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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bank — of a river
  3. charge — in control
  4. chip — for betting
  5. present — there
  6. kick — in football
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. present — the time now
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. present — a gift
  14. bank — for money
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. hand — in cards
  18. bulb — for light
  19. hand — help
  20. bank — for money
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bulb — for light
  24. chip — to eat

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