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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · chip · present · jam · leaves · game · swing · mate

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. game — wild animals
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mate — to breed
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. swing — music
  13. swing — to play on
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. swing — in golf
  17. chip — for betting
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. mate — a partner
  21. game — a match
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. present — a gift
  24. mouse — the animal

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