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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 120 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. race — humankind
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. object — to protest
  5. race — the arms race
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. foot — a measure
  9. board — to get on
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mate — to breed
  15. race — a contest
  16. board — a committee
  17. object — an aim
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — to eat
  20. mate — a partner
  21. object — a thing
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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