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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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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: race · board · chip · mark · cap · craft · pass · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. chip — to eat
  3. board — a committee
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. chip — for betting
  9. craft — boats
  10. cap — a lid
  11. craft — a skill
  12. cap — of ice
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. race — humankind
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. board — to get on
  18. squash — the sport
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. race — the arms race
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pass — a permit
  23. race — a contest
  24. cap — a hat

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