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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. present — a gift
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mark — a trace
  6. chip — to eat
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. board — to get on
  11. key — in music
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fine — all right
  15. board — a committee
  16. prune — to trim
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. prune — to trim
  20. key — the most important part
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. key — for a lock
  24. fine — a penalty

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