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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. degree — an amount
  4. charge — in control
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. land — ground
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. charge — electricity
  13. land — a country
  14. charge — a price
  15. chip — to eat
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. land — to come down
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. board — to get on
  20. degree — from a university
  21. board — a committee
  22. degree — temperature
  23. chip — for betting
  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