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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pop — soda
  3. board — to get on
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. firm — a company
  6. drill — the tool
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. dip — to sink
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pop — to visit
  12. firm — decided
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. drill — army training
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. board — a committee
  20. chip — for betting
  21. firm — steady
  22. drill — a practice
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pop — music

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