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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. charge — a price
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bore — to tire
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bore — to drill
  7. key — the most important part
  8. hand — in cards
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. charge — electricity
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stem — to come from
  14. key — in music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. charge — in control
  22. chip — to eat
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — help

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