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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. key — the most important part
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. stem — to come from
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. lean — to bend
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. charge — electricity
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. chip — for betting
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bass — low music
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. key — in music
  21. plane — a tool
  22. bass — the fish
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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