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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. rock — music
  2. fall — to drop
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fall — the season
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. fall — to drop
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bound — tied together
  10. bound — obliged
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bound — certain
  15. rock — a stone
  16. board — to get on
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rash — a series
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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