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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: chip · game · fine · current · chair · leaves · wave · board

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. board — a committee
  3. fine — high quality
  4. current — happening now
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. chair — a leader
  9. fine — all right
  10. chip — to eat
  11. board — to get on
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. game — wild animals
  16. current — of water
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. current — electric
  19. game — a match
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. chip — for betting
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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