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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. chip — to eat
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. file — a tool
  10. pit — in a race
  11. board — to get on
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. board — a committee
  14. pit — a hole
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. file — a document
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pitcher — a jug

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