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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. board — a committee
  4. staff — employees
  5. chip — for betting
  6. court — of a king
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — in cards
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. stand — to bear
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. staff — employees
  15. court — for sport
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. court — of law
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. chip — to eat
  24. board — to get on

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