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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. chip — for betting
  2. charge — electricity
  3. saw — the tool
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. charge — a price
  6. saw — the tool
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — after costs
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. face — to confront
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. face — part of the head
  13. pop — soda
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. net — for catching
  16. content — happy
  17. content — the amount
  18. face — to point toward
  19. pop — music
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pop — to visit
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. charge — in control
  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