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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. last — final
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. perch — the fish
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. object — a thing
  10. board — a committee
  11. present — the time now
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — there
  15. board — to get on
  16. object — an aim
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stand — to bear
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. object — to protest
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. last — finally

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