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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. chip — for betting
  4. race — the arms race
  5. ball — a great time
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. bound — tied together
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. mine — for digging
  13. race — humankind
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. board — to get on
  18. race — a contest
  19. board — a committee
  20. staff — employees
  21. bound — obliged
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. bound — certain

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