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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. current — happening now
  3. chip — for betting
  4. current — of water
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. wind — moving air
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. current — electric
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. rule — a law
  14. mine — for digging
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. vault — a safe
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. wind — moving air
  20. rule — government
  21. chip — to eat
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. mine — an explosive

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