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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. sharp — clever
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. face — part of the head
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — to get on
  10. last — to go on
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. chip — for betting
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. last — finally
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. last — final
  20. face — to point toward
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. face — to confront
  23. ball — a great time
  24. calf — a young animal

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