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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. can — to be able to
  3. chip — for betting
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. chair — a leader
  8. present — there
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. board — a committee
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — in sport
  16. can — a tin
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. board — to get on
  19. chip — to eat
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. can — a tin

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