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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. board — a committee
  3. chip — to eat
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. sharp — clever
  7. track — to keep track
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. cue — a hint
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cue — a signal
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. board — to get on
  16. track — a path
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. can — a tin
  20. cue — for pool
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bark — to shout

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