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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 124 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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. board — to get on
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. board — a committee
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — hasty
  10. chest — of your body
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. tube — a container
  15. firm — steady
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. firm — decided
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. firm — a company
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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