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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'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. chip — for betting
  3. degree — an amount
  4. can — a tin
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. cell — a phone
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. degree — from a university
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. present — the time now
  13. chip — to eat
  14. board — to get on
  15. degree — temperature
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cell — in biology
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. can — a tin
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. fine — all right
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — there

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