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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. stand — to bear
  4. board — to get on
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. chip — to eat
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. chip — for betting
  12. game — a match
  13. ground — crushed
  14. mark — a grade
  15. board — a committee
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ground — the earth
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. mark — a trace
  23. game — wild animals
  24. chair — a leader

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