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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. chip — for betting
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. firm — a company
  6. wind — moving air
  7. degree — temperature
  8. board — to get on
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. lean — to bend
  12. firm — steady
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. chip — to eat
  15. net — in sport
  16. firm — decided
  17. wind — moving air
  18. degree — from a university
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. board — a committee
  21. net — after costs
  22. lean — thin
  23. net — for catching
  24. degree — an amount

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