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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. game — a match
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. board — a committee
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. current — electric
  10. present — there
  11. clip — for paper
  12. present — a gift
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. game — wild animals
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. chip — for betting
  19. clip — a video
  20. current — happening now
  21. clip — to cut
  22. chip — to eat
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. current — of water

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