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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. file — a document
  3. pitch — completely
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. kid — child
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chip — to eat
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. file — a line of people
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. root — of a word
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. root — of a plant
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. root — the cause
  21. kid — to tease
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. file — a tool

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