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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  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. board — a flat piece
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bass — low music
  5. charge — in control
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bass — the fish
  8. swing — to play on
  9. squash — to crush
  10. last — final
  11. swing — in golf
  12. mate — a partner
  13. last — to go on
  14. swing — music
  15. squash — the sport
  16. last — finally
  17. board — to get on
  18. charge — a price
  19. mate — a friend
  20. charge — electricity
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chip — for betting
  23. mate — to breed
  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