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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: present · club · bowl · ground · chip · trunk · racket · charge

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. chip — for betting
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. ground — a position
  5. charge — in control
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. club — a group
  11. ground — crushed
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. club — for dancing
  14. present — there
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. charge — electricity
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. ground — the earth
  23. charge — a price
  24. racket — for tennis

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