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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. chip — to eat
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rock — a stone
  6. current — electric
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. current — of water
  9. plane — a tool
  10. clip — to cut
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pound — a weight
  13. clip — a video
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chip — for betting
  16. clip — for paper
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. current — happening now
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. snap — to click
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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