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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 124 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. mate — a friend
  3. wound — an injury
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. mate — to breed
  8. current — of water
  9. mate — a partner
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. wound — an injury
  14. season — of the year
  15. foot — a measure
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. season — in sport
  21. current — happening now
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. chip — to eat
  24. current — electric

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