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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. craft — boats
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. tube — a container
  9. saw — the tool
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — for betting
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. ground — a position
  14. stand — to bear
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. pound — a weight
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. craft — a skill
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. tube — in a tire

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