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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. game — a match
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. chip — to eat
  6. game — wild animals
  7. drill — a practice
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bulb — for light
  10. current — electric
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. current — of water
  13. chip — for betting
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. current — happening now
  20. pass — a permit
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. drill — the tool
  24. game — a kind of play

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