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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. board — to get on
  3. kid — to tease
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bass — low music
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. chip — to eat
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. kid — child
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. dip — to sink
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. wax — to grow

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