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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. scale — size or range
  4. chip — for betting
  5. scale — in music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. chip — to eat
  8. pass — a permit
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. plane — a tool
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bark — to shout
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pass — to succeed

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