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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pop — soda
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pop — music
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. hand — in cards
  21. chip — to eat
  22. charge — a price
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. mouse — the animal

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