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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. bore — to tire
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. current — of water
  9. fall — the season
  10. staff — a stick
  11. current — electric
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. chip — to eat
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. current — happening now
  18. staff — employees
  19. fall — to drop
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. staff — employees

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