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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 120 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. board — a committee
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — to get on
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. plane — a tool
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. rest — a break
  15. game — wild animals
  16. rest — what's left
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wax — to grow
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. game — a match
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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