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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  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. hand — in cards
  2. staff — a stick
  3. march — the month
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. chip — for betting
  6. board — a committee
  7. staff — employees
  8. bound — obliged
  9. net — in sport
  10. board — to get on
  11. bound — tied together
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. net — after costs
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bound — certain
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. net — for catching
  19. staff — employees
  20. chip — to eat
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  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