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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rock — a stone
  4. charge — electricity
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. charge — a price
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lie — to recline
  12. chip — for betting
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rock — music
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. charge — in control
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. coach — a trainer

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