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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. foot — a measure
  9. plane — a tool
  10. charge — electricity
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. charge — in control
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fine — high quality
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. swing — in golf
  20. charge — a price
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — to eat
  23. swing — music
  24. fine — all right

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