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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. key — the most important part
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. lie — to recline
  16. chip — to eat
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. deal — to handle
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. key — for a lock
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. key — in music

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