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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 116 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. last — to go on
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mark — a trace
  7. last — final
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. charge — a price
  11. mark — a grade
  12. charge — electricity
  13. board — to get on
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. charge — in control
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. last — finally
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. board — a committee

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