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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bass — the fish
  3. season — of the year
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. chip — to eat
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. press — newspapers
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bass — low music
  15. press — to push
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — a country
  18. plane — a tool
  19. land — ground
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. press — a publisher
  23. season — in sport
  24. chip — for betting

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