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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. chip — to eat
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. suit — to fit
  7. last — finally
  8. last — to go on
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. last — final
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. game — wild animals
  13. chip — for betting
  14. firm — a company
  15. rush — hurry
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — to get on
  18. game — a match
  19. ball — a dance
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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