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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — to eat
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. bank — for money
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. wound — an injury
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bank — for money
  14. wound — an injury
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bank — of a river
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. charge — a price
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. tube — a container
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. pitch — completely

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