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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: chip · rock · game · jam · chair · current · mark · bore

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. game — wild animals
  7. current — happening now
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. mark — a grade
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. current — electric
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. chair — a leader
  17. game — a match
  18. bore — to tire
  19. current — of water
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. chip — to eat
  24. mark — a trace

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