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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. squash — to crush
  5. board — to get on
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. clip — for paper
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. chip — for betting
  11. dip — to sink
  12. squash — the sport
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. board — a committee
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. clip — to cut
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. chip — to eat
  21. clip — a video
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. date — the fruit

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