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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. capital — a city
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. object — a thing
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. board — to get on
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. object — an aim
  13. chip — for betting
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. object — to protest
  16. date — the fruit
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. board — a committee
  20. pitch — completely
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. capital — money
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. chip — to eat

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