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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. board — a committee
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chip — to eat
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. suit — to fit
  11. spring — the season
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. rush — hurry
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. suit — in cards
  18. spring — a coil
  19. suit — clothes
  20. board — to get on
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. spring — of water
  24. chip — for betting

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