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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. chip — for betting
  3. track — to keep track
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. clip — for paper
  8. bank — for money
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. clip — a video
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. bank — for money
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. track — a path
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. kick — in football
  18. bank — of a river
  19. board — to get on
  20. track — a song
  21. chip — to eat
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. clip — to cut
  24. kick — a thrill

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