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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 116 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. pop — soda
  5. current — electric
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chair — a leader
  9. pop — to visit
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. current — of water
  13. march — the month
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. march — the month
  17. pop — music
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. current — happening now
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. march — music
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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