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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 116 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. staff — a stick
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bass — low music
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. season — in sport
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. saw — the tool
  15. chip — for betting
  16. board — a committee
  17. board — to get on
  18. staff — employees
  19. season — of the year
  20. staff — employees
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. bass — the fish

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