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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. can — a tin
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. can — to be able to
  7. board — a committee
  8. chip — to eat
  9. chest — a box
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. can — a tin
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. ball — a dance
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chest — of your body
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. ball — a great time
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a flat piece

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