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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. board — to get on
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. fork — in a road
  10. land — ground
  11. board — a committee
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pass — a permit
  14. land — a country
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. squash — to crush
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. chip — to eat
  22. land — to come down
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. jam — a tight spot

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