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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 asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. chip — for betting
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. press — newspapers
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. spell — a short time
  7. firm — steady
  8. chip — to eat
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. press — to push
  11. press — a publisher
  12. hand — in cards
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. craft — a skill
  17. firm — decided
  18. chair — a leader
  19. firm — a company
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. hand — help
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. spell — letters
  24. chair — a professorship

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