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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. object — a thing
  3. field — farmland
  4. object — to protest
  5. tube — the underground
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bound — obliged
  11. object — an aim
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. tube — a container
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — a subject
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bound — certain
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bound — tied together

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