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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 120 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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. hand — in cards
  6. plane — a tool
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. can — a tin
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. chip — for betting
  19. hand — help
  20. fine — all right
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. chip — to eat

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