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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. current — of water
  3. fine — high quality
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. chip — for betting
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. current — electric
  9. rule — a law
  10. chip — to eat
  11. board — a committee
  12. current — happening now
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. rule — government
  16. chest — of your body
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. track — a path
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. fine — all right

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