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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 is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. land — a country
  3. chip — for betting
  4. perch — the fish
  5. firm — steady
  6. kick — in football
  7. mug — a face
  8. firm — a company
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. charge — in control
  11. chip — to eat
  12. charge — a price
  13. land — to come down
  14. charge — electricity
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. land — ground
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — crushed
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. firm — decided
  24. ground — the earth

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