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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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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. swing — in golf
  3. chip — for betting
  4. net — in sport
  5. firm — decided
  6. chip — to eat
  7. board — to get on
  8. firm — steady
  9. swing — to play on
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. firm — a company
  12. net — after costs
  13. swing — music
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. ground — the earth
  16. board — a committee
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed

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