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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. chip — to eat
  6. row — to paddle
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — in music
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. board — to get on
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. row — a line
  19. court — for sport
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. court — of law
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. chip — for betting
  24. court — of a king

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