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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 120 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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. drill — army training
  3. object — an aim
  4. net — after costs
  5. stem — to come from
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. board — to get on
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. drill — a practice
  13. object — to protest
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. drill — the tool
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — for catching
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. chip — for betting
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. object — a thing
  24. board — a committee

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