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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. swing — in golf
  3. swing — to play on
  4. chip — for betting
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. land — to come down
  7. swing — music
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bore — to drill
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. bore — to tire
  14. charge — in control
  15. chip — to eat
  16. current — happening now
  17. land — ground
  18. current — of water
  19. land — a country
  20. current — electric
  21. plane — a tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. plane — in geometry

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