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

Word bank: cap · chip · object · arm · deal · board · bay · tube

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. tube — the underground
  4. cap — a hat
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. chip — to eat
  8. object — an aim
  9. cap — a lid
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. board — to get on
  12. object — a thing
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. deal — to handle
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. cap — of ice
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. object — to protest
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. tube — a container
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. arm — a part of something

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