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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. cap — a hat
  5. rock — music
  6. chip — for betting
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. cap — of ice
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. board — a committee
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. board — to get on
  19. content — the amount
  20. chip — to eat
  21. content — happy
  22. staff — employees
  23. rock — a stone
  24. cap — a lid

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