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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. fall — to drop
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. court — of law
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. staff — a stick
  7. court — of a king
  8. scale — in music
  9. fall — to drop
  10. staff — employees
  11. drill — the tool
  12. board — a committee
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. board — to get on
  15. chip — for betting
  16. staff — employees
  17. drill — a practice
  18. chip — to eat
  19. fall — the season
  20. court — for sport
  21. scale — size or range
  22. drill — army training
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. board — a flat piece

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