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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. bound — obliged
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. clip — to cut
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bulb — for light
  8. clip — for paper
  9. board — to get on
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pit — in a race
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bound — tied together
  17. clip — a video
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bulb — for light
  22. board — a committee
  23. chip — for betting
  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