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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. suit — in cards
  3. chip — for betting
  4. root — of a plant
  5. board — to get on
  6. saw — the tool
  7. board — a committee
  8. chip — to eat
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. root — of a word
  13. suit — clothes
  14. capital — a city
  15. bass — low music
  16. bat — the animal
  17. capital — money
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. root — the cause
  21. saw — the tool
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. suit — to fit

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