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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — to eat
  4. board — to get on
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. spell — a short time
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. spell — magic
  12. fork — in a road
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. board — a committee
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. board — a flat piece

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