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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. mark — a grade
  4. current — of water
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. charge — a price
  7. squash — to crush
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. current — electric
  10. charge — in control
  11. current — happening now
  12. chip — to eat
  13. charge — electricity
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. mine — belonging to me

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