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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bank — for money
  3. present — the time now
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. net — in sport
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. current — electric
  9. present — there
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bulb — for light
  13. net — for catching
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. current — of water
  16. chip — to eat
  17. current — happening now
  18. net — after costs
  19. field — for sport
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. present — a gift
  22. field — a subject
  23. bulb — for light
  24. field — farmland

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