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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. board — a committee
  3. clip — to cut
  4. staff — employees
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. clip — a video
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. chip — to eat
  14. bulb — for light
  15. clip — for paper
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. staff — employees
  18. stem — to come from
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. staff — a stick
  21. board — to get on
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bulb — of a plant

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