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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. lean — thin
  3. mate — a friend
  4. charge — a price
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. deal — to handle
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. mate — to breed
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. chip — to eat
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. charge — in control
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bark — to shout
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — to crush
  22. lean — to bend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. charge — electricity

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