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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. degree — an amount
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. degree — from a university
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. wake — a trail
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. board — a committee
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. chip — to eat
  20. fine — all right
  21. chip — for betting
  22. board — to get on
  23. craft — boats
  24. degree — temperature

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