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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bark — to shout
  6. mark — a trace
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. ground — a position
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. board — a committee
  11. file — a tool
  12. chip — for betting
  13. file — a document
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mark — a grade
  18. board — to get on
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — the earth
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. file — a line of people
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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