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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 120 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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. board — to get on
  4. charge — a price
  5. club — for dancing
  6. club — a group
  7. chip — for betting
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — happy
  10. content — the amount
  11. degree — temperature
  12. charge — electricity
  13. file — a line of people
  14. pop — soda
  15. board — a committee
  16. degree — an amount
  17. pop — to visit
  18. degree — from a university
  19. file — a tool
  20. file — a document
  21. pop — music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. club — for golf
  24. charge — in control

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