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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 124 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. chip — to eat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. clip — a video
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. chip — for betting
  9. cap — a lid
  10. foot — a measure
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. cap — a hat
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. squash — to crush
  21. clip — for paper
  22. clip — to cut
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. squash — the sport

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