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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. chest — of your body
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rush — hurry
  5. board — a committee
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. drill — army training
  8. charge — a price
  9. object — an aim
  10. chest — a box
  11. ground — a position
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. ground — crushed
  17. charge — in control
  18. object — a thing
  19. drill — a practice
  20. chest — of your body
  21. object — to protest
  22. charge — electricity
  23. board — to get on
  24. chip — for betting

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