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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. club — for dancing
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. rush — hurry
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a committee
  11. cold — not warm
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. suit — to fit
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. suit — in cards
  19. deal — to handle
  20. cold — an illness
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. club — a group
  23. suit — clothes
  24. chip — for betting

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