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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. chair — a leader
  7. ball — a great time
  8. branch — a division
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — to bear
  11. land — a country
  12. ball — a dance
  13. land — ground
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. board — a committee
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. land — to come down
  24. board — to get on

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