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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. shower — to wash
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pass — a permit
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. charge — a price
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ball — a dance
  13. charge — in control
  14. land — a country
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. land — ground
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. land — to come down
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. charge — electricity
  24. shower — rain

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