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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. suit — to fit
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. suit — clothes
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mark — a grade
  7. current — of water
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. current — electric
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. chip — for betting
  14. suit — in cards
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. current — happening now
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mark — a trace
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pound — for dogs

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