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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. chip — for betting
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — a thing
  5. plane — a tool
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. chip — to eat
  15. wake — a trail
  16. object — an aim
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. plane — in geometry

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