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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 120 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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. content — happy
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. chip — for betting
  14. mark — a trace
  15. chip — to eat
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. content — the amount
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mark — a grade
  24. chip — in a computer

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