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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. land — a country
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. sharp — clever
  7. board — to get on
  8. mark — a trace
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. chip — to eat
  11. craft — a skill
  12. board — a committee
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mate — a friend
  15. craft — boats
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. wake — a trail
  21. chip — for betting
  22. mate — a partner
  23. mate — to breed
  24. land — ground

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