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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. shower — rain
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. game — a match
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. game — wild animals
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. prune — to trim
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. craft — boats
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. shower — to wash
  23. deal — to handle
  24. prune — to trim

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