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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. game — a match
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. current — of water
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. kick — in football
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. current — electric
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fine — high quality
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — clever
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. fine — all right
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — music
  23. current — happening now
  24. chip — for betting

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