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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chip — for betting
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. clip — for paper
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. rest — what's left
  10. root — of a word
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. root — of a plant
  13. clip — to cut
  14. rest — a break
  15. mate — a friend
  16. root — the cause
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mate — a partner
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. mate — to breed
  22. sharp — clever
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. clip — a video

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