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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. game — wild animals
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. charge — in control
  7. scale — in music
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chip — for betting
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. game — a match
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rock — music
  17. pitch — completely
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. rock — a stone
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. ruler — a monarch

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