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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 116 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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. chip — for betting
  3. drill — army training
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. drill — a practice
  6. dip — to sink
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. mate — to breed
  9. chair — a leader
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. suit — in cards
  12. court — of law
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mate — a friend
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mate — a partner
  18. court — of a king
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. plane — a tool
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chip — to eat
  23. suit — to fit
  24. court — for sport

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