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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. file — a tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mark — a trace
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. firm — a company
  12. file — a line of people
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. firm — steady
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. firm — decided
  18. board — to get on
  19. file — a document
  20. board — a committee
  21. lie — to recline
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. chip — for betting
  24. mark — a grade

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