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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 116 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. club — for dancing
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. rash — a series
  7. charge — a price
  8. track — a song
  9. club — for golf
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. track — to keep track
  12. bark — to shout
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a ring
  17. bore — to tire
  18. charge — in control
  19. band — a music group
  20. bore — to drill
  21. club — a group
  22. track — a path
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. rash — hasty

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