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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: object · board · rest · chip · lean · stem · sharp · track

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — to protest
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. object — a thing
  5. lean — thin
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. track — to keep track
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. sharp — clever
  11. track — a path
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lean — to bend
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. track — a song
  19. rest — what's left
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — to come from
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. rest — a break
  24. sharp — with an edge

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