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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 116 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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — to eat
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bank — for money
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. capital — money
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. capital — a city
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — completely
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. plane — a tool

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