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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. chip — for betting
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. tube — a container
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. prune — to trim
  8. file — a line of people
  9. tube — the underground
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. file — a document
  14. dip — to sink
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. file — a tool
  18. stand — to bear
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. chip — to eat
  23. board — a committee
  24. ruler — a monarch

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