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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 120 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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. fine — all right
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. deal — to handle
  5. chip — for betting
  6. scale — in music
  7. fine — high quality
  8. track — a song
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stock — goods
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — a committee
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. scale — size or range
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. track — a path
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. chip — to eat
  24. stock — shares

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