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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chest — of your body
  3. cue — a hint
  4. swing — in golf
  5. spring — the season
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. swing — to play on
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. chip — to eat
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. spring — of water
  12. board — to get on
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. swing — music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pitch — completely
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. chest — a box
  20. spring — a coil
  21. cue — a signal
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chest — of your body
  24. board — a committee

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