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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: ball · staff · row · rock · board · chip · suit · lie

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ball — a dance
  7. board — to get on
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rock — a stone
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rock — music
  16. ball — a great time
  17. lie — to recline
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. board — a committee
  20. row — to paddle
  21. suit — to fit
  22. chip — for betting
  23. row — a line
  24. row — a quarrel

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