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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. board — a committee
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. date — the fruit
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. current — of water
  11. board — to get on
  12. deal — to handle
  13. current — happening now
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. chip — for betting
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stock — goods
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. current — electric
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stock — shares
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — on the calendar

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