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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. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. capital — a city
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. object — a thing
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. current — electric
  9. game — a match
  10. plane — a tool
  11. current — happening now
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. capital — money
  22. chip — to eat
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. current — of water

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