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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 120 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. board — a committee
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. fall — to drop
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. club — a group
  8. fall — the season
  9. land — ground
  10. chip — for betting
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mate — to breed
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mate — a partner
  17. club — for golf
  18. land — to come down
  19. club — for dancing
  20. land — a country
  21. board — to get on
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. temple — side of the head

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