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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. clip — to cut
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. clip — for paper
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. clip — a video
  8. chip — for betting
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. board — to get on
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mate — to breed
  15. board — a committee
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — a friend
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. board — a flat piece

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