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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. dip — to sink
  5. chip — to eat
  6. object — an aim
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. charge — a price
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. charge — in control
  11. ball — a dance
  12. tube — the underground
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rash — a series
  18. chip — for betting
  19. tube — a container
  20. charge — electricity
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. ball — a great time
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. safe — a strongbox

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