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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. suit — clothes
  3. staff — employees
  4. charge — in control
  5. present — a gift
  6. file — a line of people
  7. present — there
  8. staff — employees
  9. charge — electricity
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. staff — a stick
  13. file — a document
  14. charge — a price
  15. stand — to bear
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. suit — to fit
  19. file — a tool
  20. present — the time now
  21. band — a music group
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chip — for betting
  24. band — a ring

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