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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 124 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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. suit — to fit
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. chip — for betting
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. suit — in cards
  9. ball — a dance
  10. suit — clothes
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. plane — a tool
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. ball — a great time
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. arm — a part of something

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