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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 · object · land · board · wake · game · rush · club

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. land — to come down
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. club — a group
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — for dancing
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. object — an aim
  12. land — a country
  13. game — a match
  14. board — to get on
  15. game — wild animals
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. object — a thing
  18. wake — a trail
  19. rush — hurry
  20. chip — for betting
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. object — to protest
  23. land — ground
  24. board — a committee

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