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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: mate · current · leaves · staff · kid · pop · chip · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. current — happening now
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pop — soda
  8. pop — to visit
  9. staff — employees
  10. current — of water
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a friend
  14. kid — child
  15. current — electric
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. staff — employees
  18. kid — to tease
  19. mate — a partner
  20. staff — a stick
  21. pop — music
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. chip — for betting

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