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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
468
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: board · chest · bulb · pass · root · game · chip · fine

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chip — for betting
  3. root — the cause
  4. chest — a box
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chest — of your body
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. fine — high quality
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bulb — for light
  12. game — a match
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. board — a committee
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. root — of a word
  24. board — to get on

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