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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. staff — employees
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pitch — completely
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. chip — for betting
  8. staff — employees
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. lean — thin
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. board — to get on
  16. staff — a stick
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. dip — to sink
  20. chip — to eat
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — to bend

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