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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. staff — employees
  4. chip — to eat
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. file — a document
  7. file — a tool
  8. snap — to click
  9. staff — a stick
  10. object — to protest
  11. file — a line of people
  12. board — to get on
  13. game — a match
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. board — a committee
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. chip — for betting
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. staff — employees
  22. game — wild animals
  23. object — a thing
  24. suit — clothes

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