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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. roll — a cake
  4. can — a tin
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. roll — a list
  7. board — to get on
  8. clip — a video
  9. board — a committee
  10. deal — to handle
  11. vault — a safe
  12. clip — to cut
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. file — a line of people
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. can — to be able to
  19. chip — to eat
  20. can — a tin
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. clip — for paper
  23. file — a document
  24. file — a tool

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