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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. last — finally
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. mug — a cup
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. charge — in control
  8. hand — in cards
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. mug — a face
  12. last — final
  13. chip — for betting
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. hand — help
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. chair — a leader
  18. mug — to rob
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. last — to go on
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. dip — to sink
  24. chip — in a computer

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