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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. chip — to eat
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — what's left
  9. content — happy
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wake — a trail
  13. spell — letters
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. content — the amount
  16. rest — a break
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — a short time
  22. board — to get on
  23. mark — a trace
  24. board — a committee

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