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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. cap — a lid
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a hat
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — for betting
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. plane — a tool
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stand — to bear
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. arm — part of the body

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