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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. rock — music
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. chip — to eat
  5. foot — a measure
  6. rest — a break
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rock — a stone
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — in cards
  11. mate — a friend
  12. saw — the tool
  13. mate — to breed
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. rest — what's left
  17. board — to get on
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mate — a partner
  21. chip — for betting
  22. rest — what's left
  23. board — a committee
  24. foot — the bottom

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