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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. board — a committee
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. mug — a cup
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mug — to rob
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. spring — of water
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. root — of a word
  13. root — of a plant
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ball — a dance
  16. root — the cause
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spring — the season
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. chip — to eat
  22. mug — a face
  23. spring — a coil
  24. board — to get on

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