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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. chest — a box
  3. object — a thing
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. squash — the sport
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. chip — for betting
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. chest — of your body
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. object — to protest
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. squash — to crush
  18. chip — to eat
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a committee
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. chest — of your 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