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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. suit — in cards
  3. prune — to trim
  4. chip — to eat
  5. game — a match
  6. board — to get on
  7. suit — clothes
  8. chip — for betting
  9. ground — crushed
  10. ground — a position
  11. ground — the earth
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. game — wild animals
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. suit — to fit

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