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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. chip — to eat
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. net — for catching
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. mark — a trace
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — clothes
  15. net — after costs
  16. board — a committee
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mark — a grade
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. board — to get on
  23. suit — to fit
  24. chip — for betting

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