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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · file · game · season · chip · wind · current · bore

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. game — a match
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. wind — moving air
  6. file — a line of people
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. file — a tool
  9. current — of water
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. season — in sport
  12. wind — moving air
  13. chip — for betting
  14. game — wild animals
  15. file — a document
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — electric
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. season — of the year
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. game — a kind of play

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