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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. season — in sport
  3. season — of the year
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cap — a lid
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cap — of ice
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. net — for catching
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. net — after costs
  14. cap — a hat
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. net — in sport
  24. chip — to eat

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