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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a line of people
  5. board — a committee
  6. chair — a leader
  7. file — a tool
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. object — an aim
  11. chip — to eat
  12. spell — magic
  13. object — a thing
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. chip — for betting
  16. rush — hurry
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. deal — to handle
  20. board — to get on
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. spell — letters
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. spell — a short time

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