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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: squash · ruler · board · object · chip · ground · stand · coach

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. object — a thing
  7. board — to get on
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. ground — crushed
  11. chip — to eat
  12. ground — the earth
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. ground — a position
  15. stand — to bear
  16. squash — to crush
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. board — a committee
  19. object — an aim
  20. chip — for betting
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. squash — the sport
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. object — to protest

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