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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fork — in a road
  6. land — a country
  7. mate — to breed
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. chip — for betting
  12. land — to come down
  13. mate — a partner
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. dip — to sink
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mate — a friend
  20. land — ground
  21. board — a committee
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. board — to get on
  24. fork — a garden tool

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