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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.

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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. charge — in control
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. charge — a price
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. chip — for betting
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. cold — an illness
  19. craft — a skill
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cold — not warm
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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