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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. can — a tin
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. swing — in golf
  7. board — a committee
  8. swing — to play on
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. chip — to eat
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pass — a permit
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. can — to be able to
  16. root — the cause
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. root — of a word
  19. swing — music
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. root — of a plant
  22. board — to get on
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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