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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. fine — high quality
  5. charge — in control
  6. chip — to eat
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a match
  9. ball — a dance
  10. charge — electricity
  11. chip — for betting
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. ball — a great time
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. charge — a price
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. current — electric
  24. game — a kind of play

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