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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 124 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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. ball — a dance
  3. board — to get on
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. chip — for betting
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. chip — to eat
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. kick — in football
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chair — a leader
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. ball — a great time
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. shower — rain
  23. board — a committee
  24. shower — to wash

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