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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. current — of water
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. ground — a position
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. current — happening now
  13. cell — a phone
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. key — for a lock
  16. content — happy
  17. cell — in biology
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. ground — the earth
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ground — crushed
  22. content — the amount
  23. current — electric
  24. saw — the tool

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