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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. plane — a tool
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. prune — to trim
  9. chip — to eat
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. net — after costs
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — a weight
  19. net — in sport
  20. prune — to trim
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bowl — to roll

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