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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. degree — temperature
  5. scale — size or range
  6. spell — letters
  7. chip — to eat
  8. spell — magic
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. board — a committee
  15. spell — a short time
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — hasty
  21. degree — from a university
  22. board — to get on
  23. degree — an amount
  24. scale — in music

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