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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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stock — goods
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. stock — shares
  14. wound — an injury
  15. kid — to tease
  16. chip — for betting
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. board — to get on
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. kid — child

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