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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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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: lean · present · chip · board · ball · trunk · degree · net

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. chip — for betting
  3. lean — thin
  4. degree — an amount
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. chip — to eat
  8. net — in sport
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. present — a gift
  11. net — for catching
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a great time
  15. degree — from a university
  16. ball — a dance
  17. board — a committee
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. degree — temperature
  20. present — there
  21. board — to get on
  22. lean — to bend
  23. net — after costs
  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