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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. staff — employees
  5. present — the time now
  6. court — of a king
  7. bass — low music
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. staff — a stick
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. chip — to eat
  13. staff — employees
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. court — for sport
  16. present — there
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. court — of law
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. row — to paddle
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. present — a gift
  23. bass — the fish
  24. chip — for betting

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