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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 124 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. tube — a container
  4. board — to get on
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rock — a stone
  7. club — for dancing
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. tube — the underground
  11. club — a group
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chip — for betting
  14. board — a committee
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. club — for golf
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. rock — music
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. tube — in a tire

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