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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. chip — for betting
  3. key — in music
  4. pit — a hole
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. chip — to eat
  8. pit — in a race
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. march — the month
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to sink
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. key — the most important part
  16. march — music
  17. wake — a trail
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. march — the month
  24. wake — before a funeral

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