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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. charge — in control
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. chip — for betting
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. charge — a price
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. saw — the tool
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — a thing
  16. saw — the tool
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. plane — a tool
  20. chip — to eat
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. charge — electricity
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wave — with your hand

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