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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 116 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. kick — in football
  3. drill — the tool
  4. board — a committee
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. firm — steady
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. board — to get on
  9. drill — army training
  10. court — of a king
  11. firm — decided
  12. court — of law
  13. court — for sport
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. firm — a company
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — a lid
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. chair — a leader
  20. cap — of ice
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. drill — a practice
  23. chip — to eat
  24. board — a flat piece

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