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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. board — to get on
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rock — a stone
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — rain
  10. rest — what's left
  11. chip — to eat
  12. board — a committee
  13. rest — a break
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. rash — hasty
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rash — a series
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. rest — what's left
  24. calf — a young animal

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