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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. object — a thing
  3. net — in sport
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. object — an aim
  6. net — for catching
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. board — to get on
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. chip — for betting
  11. staff — employees
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. staff — a stick
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. object — to protest
  18. board — a committee
  19. net — after costs
  20. staff — employees
  21. rule — government
  22. chip — to eat
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. straw — a straw man

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