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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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. dip — to sink
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. chip — for betting
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. last — to go on
  14. field — a subject
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. field — farmland
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fork — in a road
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a committee
  22. chip — to eat
  23. last — final
  24. field — for sport

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