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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: mine · chip · lash · board · file · pit · cap · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. ball — a great time
  5. file — a tool
  6. pit — a hole
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mine — for digging
  9. cap — of ice
  10. pit — in a race
  11. cap — a lid
  12. chip — for betting
  13. file — a line of people
  14. cap — a hat
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. ball — a dance
  18. chip — to eat
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. board — to get on
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. board — a committee
  24. file — a document

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