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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · saw · key · board · scale · lean · mate · prune

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. lean — to bend
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mate — to breed
  6. chip — for betting
  7. board — a committee
  8. chip — to eat
  9. prune — to trim
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lean — thin
  12. board — to get on
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. mate — a partner
  15. scale — in music
  16. saw — the tool
  17. key — the most important part
  18. prune — to trim
  19. key — in music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. mate — a friend
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. key — for a lock

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