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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. wound — an injury
  3. board — to get on
  4. wound — an injury
  5. suit — to fit
  6. present — a gift
  7. staff — employees
  8. net — in sport
  9. suit — in cards
  10. present — there
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. present — the time now
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. staff — employees
  15. suit — clothes
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. staff — a stick
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — for catching
  21. board — a committee
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  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