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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. game — wild animals
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. wind — moving air
  5. snap — to click
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. plane — a tool
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. foot — a measure
  13. deal — to handle
  14. game — a match
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. chip — for betting
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. plane — in geometry

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