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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. chip — for betting
  4. current — happening now
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. clip — to cut
  7. lie — to recline
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. ball — a great time
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. saw — the tool
  17. current — electric
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. current — of water
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. clip — for paper
  23. clip — a video
  24. ball — a dance

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