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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. wind — moving air
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. saw — the tool
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — a tin
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bank — for money
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. can — to be able to
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. charge — in control
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — in a computer

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