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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. charge — electricity
  3. rush — hurry
  4. charge — a price
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fine — high quality
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. fine — all right
  14. charge — in control
  15. bulb — for light
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. can — to be able to
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. chip — to eat
  24. fine — a penalty

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