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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. suit — in cards
  3. current — happening now
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. roll — a cake
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. current — electric
  8. chip — for betting
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. prune — to trim
  12. suit — to fit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. suit — clothes
  18. chip — to eat
  19. game — wild animals
  20. roll — a list
  21. current — of water
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. board — a committee

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