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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. chip — for betting
  3. face — part of the head
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. suit — to fit
  7. roll — a cake
  8. suit — in cards
  9. spell — magic
  10. chip — to eat
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. sharp — clever
  17. suit — clothes
  18. face — to confront
  19. roll — a list
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. face — to point toward
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — letters
  24. arm — part of the body

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