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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. court — of a king
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. court — of law
  6. chip — for betting
  7. plane — a tool
  8. degree — from a university
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. court — for sport
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. chip — to eat
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pop — to visit
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. pop — soda
  22. degree — temperature
  23. degree — an amount
  24. pop — music

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