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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. foot — a measure
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. scale — size or range
  5. board — to get on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — in music
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. board — a committee
  10. squash — to crush
  11. clip — for paper
  12. chip — for betting
  13. clip — to cut
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. spell — magic
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chip — to eat
  20. clip — a video
  21. squash — the sport
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. spell — letters

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