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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. board — a committee
  3. rash — a series
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. kick — in football
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. sharp — clever
  10. chip — for betting
  11. land — a country
  12. land — ground
  13. board — to get on
  14. craft — boats
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. pass — a permit
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. land — to come down
  23. craft — a skill
  24. kick — a thrill

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