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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 124 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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. chip — to eat
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. roll — a list
  10. bulb — for light
  11. capital — a city
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. capital — money
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. roll — a cake
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bulb — for light
  23. fan — a supporter
  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