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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. sharp — clever
  4. board — a committee
  5. chip — for betting
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bulb — for light
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. board — to get on
  18. chip — to eat
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bulb — for light
  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