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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. lean — to bend
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rest — a break
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stock — goods
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. club — a group
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. plane — a tool
  17. chip — to eat
  18. club — for dancing
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rest — what's left
  21. club — for golf
  22. stock — shares
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lean — thin

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