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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. chip — to eat
  6. rule — a law
  7. board — a committee
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. board — to get on
  11. plane — a tool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. chip — for betting
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. sharp — clever
  22. can — a tin
  23. rule — government
  24. racket — for tennis

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