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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 116 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. track — a song
  6. net — for catching
  7. chip — to eat
  8. charge — a price
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — in sport
  11. track — to keep track
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. track — a path
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rush — hurry
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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