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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. track — a path
  5. squash — to crush
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. wind — moving air
  9. cap — a lid
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. kick — in football
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. track — to keep track
  16. chip — to eat
  17. charge — a price
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. cap — a hat
  20. squash — the sport
  21. charge — electricity
  22. track — a song
  23. cap — of ice
  24. charge — in control

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