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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. tube — a container
  3. present — a gift
  4. tube — the underground
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pop — music
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pop — to visit
  9. chip — to eat
  10. charge — electricity
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. charge — a price
  15. present — the time now
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. present — there
  18. pitch — completely
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pop — soda
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. charge — in control

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