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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  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. chip — for betting
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. stock — goods
  6. board — a committee
  7. row — to paddle
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. wound — an injury
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — to drill
  15. branch — a division
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. stock — shares
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. row — a line
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. row — a quarrel
  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