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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. mine — for digging
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bulb — for light
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. chair — a leader
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. charge — in control
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bulb — for light
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. charge — a price
  19. chip — to eat
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. track — a song
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. calf — of the leg

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