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

Word bank: chip · rule · swing · board · lash · deal

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. swing — music
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. chip — to eat
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. swing — in golf
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rule — government
  10. board — a committee
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. swing — to play on
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. rule — a law
  18. board — to get on

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