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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. current — happening now
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. capital — money
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. foot — a measure
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. current — electric
  14. board — a committee
  15. deal — to handle
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. current — of water
  21. capital — a city
  22. board — to get on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. hand — help

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