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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · chip · board · cap · pass · foot

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. board — a committee
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. chip — for betting
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. board — to get on
  12. cap — a hat
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — a measure
  15. chip — to eat
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. 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