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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. mark — a grade
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. tube — the underground
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. mark — a trace
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a great time
  13. current — of water
  14. hand — in cards
  15. tube — a container
  16. wound — an injury
  17. current — happening now
  18. ball — a dance
  19. wound — an injury
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. current — electric
  22. chip — for betting
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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