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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 116 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: charge · spring · chip · saw · ground · bowl · lie · present

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. present — there
  5. spring — a coil
  6. present — the time now
  7. lie — to recline
  8. charge — electricity
  9. ground — crushed
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. spring — of water
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. saw — the tool
  14. present — a gift
  15. charge — in control
  16. spring — the season
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ground — a position
  21. chip — to eat
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. charge — a price

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