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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. stock — goods
  5. face — to point toward
  6. board — a committee
  7. fine — high quality
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rest — a break
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. face — part of the head
  15. staff — a stick
  16. perch — the fish
  17. face — to confront
  18. stock — shares
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. fine — all right
  22. staff — employees
  23. rest — what's left
  24. board — to get on

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