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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. object — a thing
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. land — a country
  8. land — to come down
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. plane — a tool
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. chip — to eat
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. kid — to tease
  20. chip — for betting
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. land — ground
  24. kid — child

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