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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. chip — for betting
  7. spell — letters
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. object — an aim
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. object — a thing
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. board — a committee
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — a short time
  19. chip — to eat
  20. board — to get on
  21. game — a match
  22. object — to protest
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pound — a weight

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