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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. rest — a break
  4. firm — a company
  5. chip — for betting
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. firm — decided
  8. board — to get on
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. prune — to trim
  14. board — a committee
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. row — to paddle
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. row — a line
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. prune — to trim
  23. firm — steady
  24. rest — what's left

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