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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 116 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. object — to protest
  5. object — an aim
  6. board — a committee
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chip — for betting
  10. wake — a trail
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — the animal
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wound — an injury
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. object — a thing
  24. chip — to eat

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