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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: current · jam · land · suit · cabinet · chip · bound · drill

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. current — of water
  4. chip — to eat
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. land — to come down
  7. bound — tied together
  8. current — happening now
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. drill — army training
  12. land — ground
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bound — certain
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bound — obliged
  21. land — a country
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. current — electric
  24. drill — the tool

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