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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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 — to eat
  2. board — to get on
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. firm — a company
  5. chip — for betting
  6. swing — music
  7. rush — hurry
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. swing — in golf
  10. ground — the earth
  11. ground — a position
  12. snap — to click
  13. firm — decided
  14. swing — to play on
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. firm — steady
  17. fine — all right
  18. board — a committee
  19. ground — crushed
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. fine — high quality
  23. rush — to hurry
  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