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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · chip · ball · saw · mine · stick · board · drill

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. drill — a practice
  3. chip — for betting
  4. ball — a dance
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — a series
  9. saw — the tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. ball — a great time
  13. chip — to eat
  14. drill — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. board — a committee
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. board — to get on
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. rash — hasty

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