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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 120 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: fan · chip · land · board · chair · mark · pit · bowl

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pit — a hole
  3. mark — a trace
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. board — to get on
  11. chip — for betting
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pit — in a race
  14. land — to come down
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. land — ground
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mark — a grade
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. board — a committee
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. land — a country

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