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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. board — a committee
  4. ground — crushed
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. band — a music group
  8. root — the cause
  9. chip — to eat
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. root — of a plant
  17. ground — the earth
  18. board — to get on
  19. rash — a series
  20. can — a tin
  21. band — a ring
  22. rash — hasty
  23. root — of a word
  24. ground — a position

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