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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. object — a thing
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — to eat
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bear — the animal
  10. object — an aim
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. pit — a hole
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. fork — in a road
  21. object — to protest
  22. bear — the animal
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. pit — in a race

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