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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. lean — to bend
  3. can — a tin
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. root — the cause
  6. cap — a lid
  7. lean — thin
  8. last — to go on
  9. board — to get on
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. board — a committee
  12. cap — a hat
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. pit — in a race
  15. root — of a word
  16. pit — a hole
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cap — of ice
  19. root — of a plant
  20. last — final
  21. can — to be able to
  22. chip — for betting
  23. can — a tin
  24. last — finally

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