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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. object — a thing
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. chip — for betting
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. object — an aim
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. object — to protest
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pass — a permit
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. chip — in a computer

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