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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. current — of water
  7. game — a match
  8. tube — the underground
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. spell — magic
  11. current — happening now
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. spell — letters
  17. tube — a container
  18. current — electric
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. game — wild animals

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