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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. firm — decided
  3. degree — temperature
  4. board — a committee
  5. object — an aim
  6. club — a group
  7. firm — steady
  8. pit — in a race
  9. club — for golf
  10. pit — a hole
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. object — to protest
  13. firm — a company
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. board — to get on
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rush — hurry
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. club — for dancing
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. object — a thing

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