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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. wake — a trail
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. staff — employees
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wind — moving air
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. charge — in control
  16. bound — tied together
  17. staff — employees
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. staff — a stick
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bound — certain

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