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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. charge — in control
  7. mug — to rob
  8. charge — electricity
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. object — a thing
  11. mug — a face
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. chip — to eat
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. wax — to grow
  16. charge — a price
  17. object — an aim
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. mug — a cup
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. object — to protest

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